Amor Vincit Omnia: Part II: The Fragile Heart
by dr. kitten
Summary: Sequel to Sun and Shadow. The hunt for Maghda and her coven of Belial-worshippers brings the four Nephalem to Caldeum, a once great city now ravaged by civil war. They must work together to uncover layers of deception and lies, but will the truth blind them? Follows Diablo 3 storyline. F. Monk/M. Demon Hunter romance. Rated M for violence, language, and sexuality.
1. 1 - The Jewel of the Desert

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart **_

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><p><em>"Pass not beneath, O Caravan, or pass not singing. <em>  
><em>Have you heard<em>  
><em>That silence where the birds are dead yet something<em>  
><em>Pipeth like a bird? <em>

_Pass not beneath! Men say there blows in stony deserts _  
><em>Still a rose <em>  
><em>But with no scarlet to her leaf - and from whose heart no<em>  
><em>Perfume flows <em>

_Wilt thou bloom red where she blooms pale, thy sister_  
><em>Rose? Wilt thou not fail<em>  
><em>When noonday flashes like a flail? Leave nightingale the <em>  
><em>Caravan! <em>

_The Sun who flashes through the head, and paints the _  
><em>Shadows green and red,<em>  
><em>The Sun shall eat thy fleshless dead, O Caravan, O<em>  
><em>Caravan!<em>  
><em>- James Elroy Flecker<em>  
><em>"The Gates of Damascus"<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Hello! Welcome, fans and new readers alike, to the second part of my Diablo 3 fantasyromance epic! If you haven't read Part One, I would seriously advise it, otherwise there will be a lot of confusion due to some changes I have made to the plot. For those who have, this story will be much the same, with the addition of an M rating and all the awesomeness that comes with it! So expect love scenes in the future. ;)**

**Without further ado, thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story! I love to hear everyone's opinions, constructive criticism, and comments, so please review! I'll try to respond, especially if you have a question. **

**- Dr. Kitten **

* * *

><p>Chapter One: The Jewel of the Desert<p>

"I thought I was supposed to be learning how to meditate," Baal said peevishly, adjusting his position to better brace himself against the bouncing of the wagon. "I don't see what that has to do with taking a nap. I can sleep any time; I don't need help with that."

"Can you?" Saiya asked. "Could you fall asleep right now?"

"No, because I'm not tired."

"And that's exactly why you need practice. Meditation means having complete control over mind and body. You must be able to access it at all times, whether you're in the heat of battle or lying in bed at night. When you're meditating, time stops and you as an individual cease to exist."

"That's great," Baal said. "Why am I trying to go to sleep, then?"

The young monk pursed her lips in frustration. She had been trying to explain for the better part of half an hour, but it seemed that her friend and lover viewed meditation as some spell to be cast, rather than a state of mind that it took years to perfect. It was tempting to tell him to just shut up and do as he was told, but she knew that if he didn't understand _why_, he would never make progress. Furrowing her brow, she cast around for a way to link the complex art to something that he might be more familiar with.

"When you started training with the Hunters," she began, "did they let you pick up a crossbow on your first day and just start firing it?"

"Of course not," he scoffed, as if the idea was preposterous. "I had to learn how to hold it properly, and aim it, and all the safety procedures."

"Well, this is no different. Sleep is the closest thing to meditation that the body is capable of, so if you master being able to induce your body into sleeping even when you're not tired, then you'll be well on your way to full meditation."

Baal still looked doubtful. "I have trouble falling asleep even when I _am _tired," he said. "As soon as I close my eyes, thoughts start swarming around my brain like ants on a hill – constantly marching two and fro. Sometimes it takes me hours to relax."

Saiya was well aware of his struggle with insomnia. They had shared a cabin (though not a bed, at Baal's insistence) during the two-week-long voyage across the Twin Seas, and now a wagon while crossing the vast desert from the seaside port of Gea Kul to the landlocked city of Caldeum. Baal seemed to get more restless every night. Often she would wake to find him sitting in the darkness, his eyes blazing crimson, tinkering with his crossbows. The one time she had asked him what was troubling him, he had gotten up and left without a word. She did not ask again.

Now, the in daylight (and it was so much _brighter _here in the desert, as if the sun had doubled in strength) Saiya could see the shadowed skin beneath his eyes, the bloodshot corneas and general aura of weariness. If she were being honest, half the reason she was insisting on this preparatory exercise was that she knew he needed more rest.

"Just try it," she wheedled, patting her lap invitingly. With a coarse sigh, Baal lay down and placed his head in the hollow formed by her crossed legs. He looked up at her from under the fringe of black hair covering her eyes and said, "There. Now what?"

"Close your eyes," Saiya instructed. "Breathe deep and slow. Let your muscles go limp. For now, even if you can't really sleep, at least pretend that you are."

Baal folded his hands over his stomach and let his lashes brush his cheek, a frown of concentration clouding his features. Saiya almost chuckled at the sight of him trying so hard to do something that required a complete lack of effort, but she held the laughter in. It would only offend him. Instead she smoothed a hand over his forehead, stroking away the faint lines that gathered there like strands of a spider's web. She kept up the repetitive motion, which was as soothing for her as she hoped it was for him.

It was just over twenty days since she had left New Tristram, but already the town and its occupants were a distant, shining memory to her, swept away by the whirlwind of everyday life on the road. The sea voyage had been the worst thing she had ever experienced: endless hours of nausea, trapped like a caged bird inside a tiny wooden room that never remained still. On the rare occasion that she made it up on deck, all that awaited her was bleak grey water stretching out of sight on all sides. No matter how much reassurance her companions and the captain gave her that they were on course and making good time, she couldn't shake the terrible fear that the land had been swallowed up by the gnawing waves, and they would be afloat forever. Every night, she dreamed of falling overboard and watching the ship dwindle in the distance while she swam futilely after it.

She'd been ridiculously happy to see the first shadows of a landmass on the horizon, practically dancing down the gangplank as soon as the ship had docked. The city where they disembarked, Gea Kul, was the antithesis of the sullen and grimy Antham: buildings of pale sandstone, twisting, intricate towers, and perfumed gardens that spread out for miles. The people were prosperously dressed and smiled often. As the group wandered down the market street, a fat man emerged from a curtained booth and pressed a red fruit into Saiya's hand and uttered a brief phrase in Kehjistani, which Baal obligingly translated for her. _A sweet gift for the sweet young lady. _

"He's hoping that you'll buy something from his stand," the Hunter added in an undertone. Saiya promptly purchased a lightweight blue scarf.

The caravan that they hired consisted of nine roomy wagons (and a tenth reserved purely for supplies), drawn by the weirdest creatures that Saiya had ever seen. Round, compact bodies perched unsteadily on spindly legs, flat cloven hooves like pigs' feet, a long flexible neck capped by a small head wearing an expression of perpetual bemusement. Most notable was the single flabby hump atop every beast's back. Baal told her that they were called _camels, _and not to get to close to them because they were ornery and liked to spit.

Amid general surprise, Lyndon decided to accompany them as far as Caldeum, though he spent most of his time alone – partly by choice, and partly because he was not well-liked among the party. Baal was suspicious of him, Caesar regarded him with obvious distaste, Kormac couldn't stand him, and Leah was reserved at best. Only Saiya (who was grateful for his intervention at the docks), Najmah (who got along with everyone), and, oddly enough, Ghor would tolerate his company for more than a few brief moments.

As with any diverse gathering of humanity, disputes and tensions were inevitable, but for sanity's sake they soon learned to keep order. Baal and Caesar ignored each other completely and thus avoided all conflict. It was hard to tell what the wizard thought, if anything, about the fledgling relationship between Baal and Saiya, but he never remarked on it or showed any signs of discontent with his own lot. He remained as courteous to Saiya as ever, though he no longer flirted or showed her any special attention.

In fact, the young monk reflected, it was Baal himself who had been the largest cause of stress over the past several weeks. She had known his tendency to alternate between warmth and indifference, but she had anticipated that that sort of hot-and-cold behavior would come to an end once they were officially lovers. It had not. If anything, his defensive armor had grown even more difficult to pierce. It wasn't that she was unhappy, she told herself, but she was a little bit mystified. One of the most puzzling things was his refusal to engage in any sexual activity beyond (admittedly ardent) kissing. She _knew _that he found her attractive enough – his own body gave that away, no matter how much he tried to conceal it – but he always stopped short of taking the next step. She had tried to touch him once, in the heat of the moment, and he caught her wrist in a grip that was almost painful. He apologized later, but offered no explanation.

And so she was enjoying having him here, dozing in her lap, where she could stroke his forehead and study him without fear of making him nervous. _He's like a wild, wounded animal, _she thought. _He wants to be healed, to be cared for, but he can't bring himself to accept it. _

There was a flurry of voices outside the wagon, and Baal roused himself with a start, jolting upright. A moment later Leah stuck her head through the flap of canvas that served as the door. There was dust caking her cheeks and hair, but she was grinning.

"We're within sight of the city gates," she announced. "Caldeum at last! About time too, I say. Oops … am I intruding?"

"No," said Saiya, at the same time that Baal said, with a touch of sarcasm, "Yes. I was learning how to take a nap."

Leah stared uncomprehendingly at him. "I just thought you might want to know that we've arrived."

"Thanks," Saiya said. The other girl nodded and backed out, pulling the canvas flap closed behind her. Saiya frowned at Baal, who was absently mussing his hair and yawning.

"You could be a little friendlier, you know, especially since we're going to be traveling together for a while," she remarked.

"I'm not being unfriendly," he protested. "If I was, I wouldn't have fallen asleep in your lap."

Saiya snorted. "I'm talking about Leah, not me. The others as well, for that matter. It wouldn't kill you to be nice for a change."

"What's this really about?" he asked. "Has the mage been whining to you again?"

Saiya gave up. "How did you sleep?" she asked slyly.

"Passably," he shrugged, but there was a glimmer in his eye that gave away his good humor. Saiya beamed at him, and squeaked in surprise as he swooped in to kiss her. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest, as it always did when he unexpectedly demonstrated his affection.

"Shall we?" said the Hunter, sweeping an open hand towards the door.

She scooted past him, crawling on all fours to avoid scraping her head on the low ceiling. Emerging onto the narrow footboard, she held her breath to avoid inhaling the cloud of dust and sand that was kicked up by the wheels and the churning hooves of the camels. She stood precariously, one hand clenching the porch bracket for balance, and gazed out across the blinding expanse of desert. Theirs was the foremost wagon, save one, so she had an unhindered view. The city of Caldeum loomed on the road ahead, the shadow of the great wall stretching out to meet them. The gate itself was twenty feet of solid bronze, ingrained with jewels and intricate veins of precious metals. Above it, the sheer wall rose another thirty feet, crowned with battlements. The sun glanced off the pale sandstone and turned it to gold.

"It's beautiful," Saiya whispered, completely awed.

"Not for nothing do they call it the Jewel of the Desert," said Leah, who was walking next to the wagon. Her expression grew regretful for a moment. "Uncle Deckard loved this place," she murmured. "If only he could be here to see it again."

As always when Deckard Cain's name was mentioned, Saiya felt the harsh sting of guilt, the ugly echo of a memory: _I killed him. I was responsible. If not for me, he _would _be here._

"I grew up here, you know," Leah continued. Her voice was hard, her eyes unhappy.

Saiya glanced at her in astonishment. "I had no idea! You never mentioned your childhood." _And I never asked, _she thought. _I was too busy worrying that Baal had romantic feelings for her to try to make friends. What a fool I am. _

"I don't like to talk about it," Leah said. "It wasn't the happiest time in my life. I was raised by a woman named Gillian who did as well as she could, but never pretended to be my real mother. We lived in poverty, which only grew worse as Gillian's mind began to deteriorate. She was little more than a raving lunatic by the time that Uncle Deckard found us. I wonder where she is now."

The wagon ground to a halt as they arrived in front of the gates. A tall soldier with arrogant, pitiless eyes and a cruel set to his mouth came striding forward and held out a hand. The caravan driver, Azam, dismounted from his seat and presented the bundle of papers that he had already prepared. The soldier paged through them, making a show of inspecting every document, and the twist of his lips as he returned them spoke of disappointment. Clearly he had hoped for something to be out of order.

Looking up at the walls, he raised a hand in a curt gesture. The massive gates swung open with the sound of a thousand gears turning in tandem. Azam clucked persuasively to his camels, and the caravan proceeded into the city. There was a stable nearby, where they came to a second and more permanent halt.

"Have everything?" asked Baal, coming up from behind. His hand hovered at the small of her back: not quite touching her, but close enough to be felt. "We won't be coming back."

Saiya nodded. The few belongings that were left to her were all on her person: her clothes, her brass knuckles, Leena's hand mirror, and the banner made for her by the people of New Tristram. Baal traveled light as well, and the raven rode proudly on his shoulder. Its wing had fully healed, and though it never seemed to tire of soaring gracefully through the sky, it always returned to the Hunter, who had apparently won its loyalty. He had named it Gawahir, meaning _jewel_, on account of its fascination with baubles and trinkets.

Baal jumped down from the footboard of the wagon, landing gracefully, and reached up to help Saiya dismount as if she were a highborn lady. Coming around the side of the wagon, they were joined by Caesar, Ghor, and Kormac. Najmah trailed in the rear, moving with the slow, stumbling gait of a sleepwalker.

"So," said the wizard, stretching like a cat, "here we are at last. It's been years since I visited this part of the world." He looked around with curiosity, observing, "It looks much the same, but the air is different. Not to welcoming as before."

"That soldier who granted us entrance was anything but welcoming, that's for sure," said Kormac, shaking his head. "He looked about ready to strangle poor Azam. I don't understand; don't they _want _travelers to visit?"

"A great evil dwells here," said Ghor. "I can sense it, coiled like a serpent about to strike. Beneath the veneer of this city lies a wasteland of stars and green mist. We must be wary."

Saiya felt a shiver run up her spine despite the heat of the day. She did not quite understand what the _sangoma _meant, but she didn't like the sound of it. And she too could feel a malignant presence lurking in the shadows, quite at odd with the glorious, sun-baked surroundings.

"I can smell no demons," Baal said doubtfully.

"They are well hidden," Ghor replied.

Azam approached them, rubbing his hands and smiling a fixed smile, and the whole group fell silent. They had not revealed their motive in visiting Caldeum to anyone who had aided them on their journey: not the brave captain of the Black Falcon (who to Saiya's immense surprise had been a woman), not the affable caravan driver. It was not that they didn't trust him, for he seemed quite the honest professional, but they all agreed that the nature of their mission was best kept a secret. It was a rare moment when Baal and Caesar did not argue over a decision, and Saiya treasured it, as well as the identical bitter looks on both their faces when they realized they were in concurrence.

"Well, my friends," said Azam, "I will be glad now to accept the payment I am owed, for the fees have risen yet again since last I came this way."

Leah had collected the money from each of them, paying Najmah's portion out of her own funds, and now she handed over a small leather bag nearly splitting its seam with gold. Azam counted it out into his palm and frowned.

"Miss, you have overpaid by five dracham," he said.

"Consider it an advance for the next time we need your services," Leah said. Comprehension dawned on the man's face, and he grinned.

"Miss, I would be honored to serve you again. Farewell, my friends, and may good fortune light your path." He departed to see about stabling his camels while the goods he had carted from Gea Kul were unloaded by a steady stream of workers.

"Where's Lyndon?" Saiya asked suddenly. Fixated as they all were on the strange menace of the city, the rogue's absence had gone unnoticed. _I hope he didn't sneak off without at least saying goodbye to me, _she thought.

Leah wrinkled her nose. "I spoke to him this morning. He said he had some 'business' to attend to in the city, and that we could find him later – if he wanted to be found."

"Good riddance, I say," grumbled Kormac. "That man's a viper. He'll greet you with one hand while the other rummages in your pocket." Catching Saiya's reproachful look, he added, "I don't discount that his protection of you was noble, _Schwesterchen, _but I'm not sure how noble his _intentions _were. It seems to me that he acted chiefly in his own interest."

"It's a moot point," Baal interjected before Saiya could jump to Lyndon's defense. "What he did was good, regardless of the reason, and he is not accountable to us. I wish him well, though I doubt we shall see him again."

There was a moment of silence. Then Saiya said, "So, now that we're here … what do we do?"

"We should separate," Caesar suggested. "Divide and conquer, right? Ghor and I will search for temporary lodgings."

"Baal and I can take care of getting food and any other supplies we need," said Saiya.

Leah nodded. "Right. I've got someone I want to talk to. We used to be friends. If anyone knows what's going on around here, he will. Najmah, you should come with me."

"I'll go as well," Kormac offered. "You might need a bodyguard."

"It's decided then," said the wizard. "We'll meet back here in, shall we say, three hours?"

"Keep your eyes and ears open, everyone," instructed Baal. "If you hear anything suspicious, try to listen without attracting any attention. Don't ask open questions, but glean what information you can. The better informed we are, the more of a chance we'll have of stopping whatever evil is afoot here."

With that in mind, the group fractured and set out in separate directions: Caesar and Ghor along the great wall to the east, where most of the hostels and inns were located; Leah, Najmah, and the Templar into the inner city in search of Leah's contact; and Baal and Saiya to the bazaar. The young monk was speechless, captivated by a thousand different sounds and sights and smells, each one of them utterly foreign to her. She followed at Baal's heels like a lost puppy as he wended his way expertly between the stalls, ignoring some of the merchants who called out to them and casually greeting others in Kehjistani. Sometimes they stopped to purchase special items that their companions had requested – paper, ink, and quills for Leah, a variety of alchemical ingredients for Ghor, a pocket knife for Kormac, and new gloves for the wizard, whose old ones were starting to develop holes. Saiya had to intervene with the last item on the list, as Baal gleefully selected the largest and clunkiest gauntlets he could find. She forced him to put them back and instead picked out a pair made of silk-lined kid leather, soft and flexible, but with lightweight bracers attached to protect the wearer's forearms.

As Baal was haggling with a fruit seller over the price of a bag of dates, two soldiers garbed in red hauberks strode past. They were speaking in Kehjistani, but one word jumped, unmistakable in any language, caught Saiya's ear: _Maghda. _She nudged Baal and jerked her head in the soldiers' direction when he turned to look at her. After listening for a moment, he grabbed her hand and led her after the pair, with the merchant yelling after them, "Wait! You have not heard my final offer! I will go down to half a dracham for two bags!"

"What are they saying?" Saiya whispered as they followed the soldiers towards the southern edge of the market square.

"They're discussing the influx of refugees to the city," Baal replied, "and how difficult it is to find room for them all. Apparently there is tension growing between the refugees and Caldeum's citizens, and the guards have their hands busy preventing an all-out war."

The crowd thinned suddenly, and Baal stopped dead in his tracks. Peering past him, Saiya caught her breath in a gasp of pity and dismay. Crammed into an alley between two towering buildings was a mass of tents packed so closely together that the sides touched. The ground was churned to mud, from which arose the cloying reek of urine. Flies swarmed in clouds; children with matted hair ran naked through the filth. Adult men and women, so thin that each bone showed in bas-relief against their stretched skin, squatted in tent entrances. There was a general feeling of oppression and despair, so removed from the vibrant bazaar not twenty feet away.

"The refugees," Saiya murmured. "They look so hungry. Why does no one help them? Surely there is plenty of food here." She thought of her own pack, stuffed full of bread and cheese, cured meat and a variety of fruits and vegetables, and wondered how many people the contents would feed.

Baal approached a woman wearing the same uniform as the two soldiers. _"Salam," _he said. _"Bu insanlar burada ne mene deye bilersiniz?" _

The woman, whose imposing height was further increased by a pair of thick-soled steel boots, looked down at him and said, _"Sen kimsen?" _Her voice was clear and ringing, like a bell, and not overly warm.

"_Men yalniz bir seyyah Ben," _replied Baal. _"Siz suala cavab gedir?" _

"You look Kehjistani," said the woman, switching abruptly and fluidly to Khanduran. "But your accent is off. Been speaking with _xarici _too long, hey?"

"You're very perceptive for a guard," Baal said. There was admiration in his tone, as well as annoyance.

"I am no guard," the woman sneered. "Show some respect, boy. You are addressing Asheara, Commander of the Iron Wolves."

"I've heard of you!" Saiya exclaimed. "Your mercenary company is legendary in all of Sanctuary."

"Last I heard," said the Hunter, "you had sold your allegiance permanently to the child emperor. Does he value the Wolves so little that he has you keeping watch over the peasants?"

"Someone has to," said Asheara, though her tone lacked conviction. She hesitated for a moment, then, lowering her voice, went on. "We are no longer the Imperial Guard. Emperor Hakan had us replaced with his own men two months ago. I have not been allowed to enter his presence since, though I have requested an audience several times." She sighed, and the impassive wall of her face seemed to crumble a little, revealing a weary, concerned woman within. "The country is falling apart," she said. "A witch and her coven have taken up residence in Alcarnus, and have been slaughtering innocents in droves. You asked where these people have come from. The answer is 'everywhere'."

"We could help-" Saiya began, but Baal cut her off.

"This witch," he said. "Is her name Maghda, by any chance?"

"You are acquainted with her?" Asheara asked.

"You could say that. Our relationship is not a pleasant one. We have tracked her here from New Tristram in Khanduras. You said she is in Alcarnus? Where might that be?"

"West of here, five days trek across the desert. Three on horseback, if you can find a horse to take you. But the road is blocked: a landslide caused by the witch. You'll have to go through the Khasim Outpost. The trail markers will guide you."

"Thank you," Baal said solemnly. He turned to leave, but Asheara called, "Wait!" He looked back at her expectantly.

"You have not told me your names," she said. "I would like to know to whom I have lent my assistance."

"Pardon my rudeness," said the Hunter. "I am called Alem – I'm a mercenary myself, of sorts – and my companion is Kala."

The Commander of the Iron Wolves inclined her head. Her gray-green eyes, as clear and keen as a hawk's, glinted in recognition of the lie, but all she said was, _"Qismet siz hem de gede biler, Alem ve Kala." *_

"_Ve siz," _replied Baal.

"Why did you give her false names?" Saiya whispered to him once they were out of earshot.

The Hunter did not answer right away, but as soon as they passed a secluded corner he pulled her aside and put a hand on her shoulder, locking her gaze with his own. "Listen well, Saiya," he said, "this is not like the places you are accustomed to. The people here cannot be trusted easily, and you must guard your mouth and your purse with equal awareness. And you _cannot _slip up and call me Baal in anyone's hearing. An alias for you is a precaution, but for me it is a necessity, because in these parts a person bearing my name is likely to be killed outright."

"So I should call you Alem?" she inquired. "And I am Kala. What of the others?"

"The mage," said Baal grudgingly, "should be clever enough to keep himself safe. Ghor, too, I should imagine. Leah and Najmah and Kormac are all innocuous enough. I doubt anyone will trouble them. It's mostly us half-children that I'm worried about. If word of our Nephalem blood gets out …"

"Why should it?" said Saiya. "In New Tristram, no one cared."

"In New Tristram, no one understood the significance of the power we wield. But there are those here who would try to control that power, or, failing that, snuff it out." His unique eyes lost their light, becoming deep, black wells of anguish. "Trust me, I know."

Impulsively, Saiya put a hand to his cheek, and he nuzzled against it, pressing a kiss into her palm. "I'll be careful," she promised.

"Please do, _nuur il-'en,_" he said. "I cannot watch over you all the time."

After that, they returned to the bazaar to finish their shopping, and then Baal insisted on having lunch at a local tea house. They sat at a small marble table by a latticed screen grown over by creeping vines, whose large white flowers produced an enchanting scent. A fountain burbled soothingly in the background. The food was like nothing Saiya had ever tasted: a salad of exotic fruit, each bite a miraculous new flavor; a bowl of curried rice and vegetables, the fire of which was quelled by thick, sour sauce called _yoghurt_; flat bread and stuffed grape leaves and triangular desert cakes made of ground nuts held together with honey and sandwiched between sheets of dough as thin as paper. Baal watched her eat with a grin that grew with each sound of enjoyment she made. When they were finished, he ordered two _coffees_, which to Saiya's surprise was a drink. It was a rich brown, nearly black, in color, and steaming hot. She was disinclined to try it, but the Hunter finally convinced her. It was very bitter and earthy, and at first she found it unpalatable, but as she continued to sip she decided that it wasn't so bad.

"Don't finish it," Baal warned her, a glint of amusement in his eye. "Leave the last bit in the bottom of the cup."

"Why?" Saiya asked, but he just winked at her. Her question was answered soon enough when she disregarded his advice and wound up with a mouthful of potent, gritty mud. She swallowed it, twisting her face in a grimace. Baal laughed.

"That's why."

"Why would anyone want to drink this horrible stuff?" she demanded as the Hunter paid their bill (she offered to contribute, but he wouldn't hear of it).

"You'll see," Baal said cryptically.

As they started back towards the rendezvous point, Saiya was startled to feel raw energy coursing like quicksilver through her veins. Her heart rate increased as though she was in a fight, and every movement she made seemed unusually quick and sharp. It was slightly unnerving, but exhilarating at the same time. Baal noticed the extra bounce in her step and remarked, "You're feeling it, then."

"Is that what _coffee _does?" she asked. "It's incredible!"

"Yeah," he said, "it's great for waking up first thing in the morning. Just don't drink it before you go to bed, or you'll never get to sleep. If there's one thing I've missed most about my homeland, it's _coffee_."

"I'm not going to feel sick later, am I?" she said worriedly, suddenly recalling the terrible headache and nausea she had suffered the day after she and Baal had gotten drunk together.

He shook his head. "No. You might feel a bit more tired than usual, but that's all."

Leah, Najmah, and Kormac were already waiting for them when they arrived back at the stables. The girl had obviously been crying, though no emotion seeped through the steely mask of her face. Najmah sat close beside her with an arm around her shoulders, while Kormac stared holes in the ground.

"Bad news?" Baal asked gently.

"He's dead," Leah answered without preamble. She laced her fragile fingers together to form a pale net. "Only two weeks ago, during one of the riots. He was right in the middle of the fighting, shouting for people to calm down and talk things through. No one knows whether it was a soldier or a refugee who struck the blow that killed him."

"I'm sorry," said the Hunter.

Her smile was crooked and grim. "It's the way he would have wanted to die. Anyway, did you all have any luck?"

"More than we hoped for," he said, and told her about the conversation with Asheara and the information they had gleaned. Caesar and Ghor returned just as he was finished the tale, and Saiya bullied him into repeating it for their benefit.

"I think we should speak with this child emperor if we can," the wizard opined. "He might be able to give us more information."

"Maghda should be our first priority," argued Kormac. "We know where to find her."

"Look how well that turned out last time," Caesar said heatedly. "If we can gain the support of Hakan and his Imperial Guard, we could storm Alcarnus and eliminate Maghda and her coven once and for all."

"We can't afford to waste time on politics!" exclaimed the Templar. "Every minute that we hesitate, those bastards are ending more innocent lives."

"Calm down, everyone," Saiya interjected before tempers could rise any further. "Let's put it to a vote. Who's in favor of staying here in Caldeum and trying to speak with the emperor?"

Caesar's hand leaped into the air, followed by Leah and Ghor.

"Alright," said the young monk. "Now, who thinks we should go after Maghda now?"

Kormac and Baal raised their hands. After a moment of thought, she added her own vote to theirs. Both sides had valid points, she felt, but the most important thing in her mind was preventing any more people from having to live like those poor, filthy refugees.

Only Najmah did not voice an opinion. They all turned to look at him, and he slowly shook his head. "I believe both courses of action are equally vital," he said. "I cannot put one above the other."

"So, let's split up," said Leah. "That seems like the obvious solution. Caesar, Ghor, and I will stay here, and Baal, Saiya, and Kormac can follow the witch."

Baal nodded. "That could work. Do you think you can actually get into the palace? Asheara said that Hakan will see nobody, not even his most trusted allies."

"I know a way," she said confidently.

"Excellent. Then we'll begin tomorrow morning." He turned to Caesar. "Where are we staying for the night."

The wizard rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah. Well. About that …"

"You couldn't find a place, could you."

"Not for lack of trying!" Caesar protested. "Believe me, we went into every single building that advertised lodging, including one that I'm fairly sure was a brothel. They all had the same answer: no room."

"Well, we have to stay somewhere," said Kormac. "We can hardly sleep on the street."

"What about the caravan?" Saiya suggested. "Perhaps Azam would be willing to allow us to stay one more night."

At that moment, shouting broke out across the courtyard. One of the soldiers standing by the gate made a grab for a raggedy child, who evaded his lunge and scampered across the dusty ground, heading right towards them with the man in hot pursuit. Saiya caught a flash of blue eyes wide with panic before the youngster dove into their midst. She and Baal stepped forward simultaneously to block the soldier's path.

"What's going on here?" demanded the Hunter in a voice of steel.

"That little brat stole a purse from me," the soldier snarled.

"I didn't!" wailed the child, a girl of about eleven. She was barefoot and her dress was full of holes. Her fair, freckled cheeks glistened with tears.

"Don't lie, you sewer-rat. I saw you!" The man tried to push forward impatiently, but Baal stopped him with a firm hand on his chest. Beside him, Saiya slipped on her brass knuckles and tapped them together threateningly.

Caesar crouched so his face was level with the girl's. "Did you take the money, child?" he asked.

The girl shook her head vehemently, sending wisps of blonde hair flying over her face.

"If you did," Caesar pressed, "give it back and we'll make sure you aren't harmed."

"I _didn't_,truly." She held out empty hands, and her eyes, as round and innocent as the moon, stared at him pleadingly.

"You'd better go," Baal growled to the soldier, with a pointed glare.

"You are deceived, _hezerat_," the man said bitterly. "She is a notorious thief. This is not the first time, but it will be the last." He spun and strode away, armor clanking.

When he was out of earshot, Baal said, "You play a dangerous game, kid. I hope you know what you're doing."

"What are you talking about, Baal?" Saiya asked. "She's innocent, isn't she?"

The girl they had just saved surprised her by bursting out in a giggle. She smudged the tear tracks from her cheeks with her sleeve and grinned. One of her front teeth was missing.

"Thanks!" she said to the Hunter "I didn't think you were taken in, but you helped me anyway."

"_Sicoval seref," _he said. The girl's expression changed to one of respect, mingled with disbelief, and she glanced him over.

"_You? _A runner?"

"Years ago," he replied. "Where'd you stash the goods?"

Quick as a wink, the girl's hand shot out and fished a leather bag out of the robes of a very surprised Caesar. Smiling cheekily at the wizard's indignant flush, she jingled it. Baal laughed.

"Good work, kid. What's your name?"

"You first," she insisted.

Several eyebrows were raised as Baal introduced himself by his new alias. He continued down the list, calling Saiya 'Kala' as before. Ghor was dubbed 'Ghada', Leah became 'Fahima', and Kormac changed to 'Haidar'. He gave Caesar's name as 'Homaar', and by the smirk when he said it and the child's answering titter, Saiya guessed it was unflattering. Only Najmah stayed as he was, since his real name was still unknown.

When Baal was finished, the girl nodded and said, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Squirt. Steal from me and I'll make you regret it, but if you're nice, you can be my friends."

Caesar heaved a weary sigh. "This is all very well and good, but we have more important things to do than befriending street urchins."

"Things like finding a place to stay for the night?" inquired Squirt. When they glanced sharply at her, she shrugged and said, "I heard you talking. So what? I know a place, if you're willing to trust me."

The wizard snorted. "After what you pulled? I think not."

"Like we have any better options," Baal snapped. "What place is this, Squirt?"

"I call it the Hidden Camp, but it doesn't really have a name," she replied. "It's up on the cliffs above the city. There's a secret pathway that only the ones who know about could ever find. I can show you, but you have to take oaths of silence never to tell of the Camp's location."

"How do you know _we _can be trusted?" Kormac asked gruffly.

"You protected me from the guard," said Squirt, as if it was the simplest thing in the world – and to her, Saiya thought, perhaps it was. Furrowing her brow, she added, "Bad folks wouldn't have done that."

"I think we should accept this offer," the young monk declared. "It'll be dark in a couple of hours and we have to go somewhere."

"I agree," Leah said. Kormac nodded as well. In fact, only Caesar looked displeased about the idea.

"Come on, then," said Squirt, with a winning smile. "Come and meet _my _people."

* * *

><p><em>* Baal's conversation with Asheara goes as follows:<em>

_Baal: "Hello. Can you tell me why these people are here?"_

_Asheara: "Who are you?"_

_Baal: "Just a traveler. Are you going to answer the question?"_

_* Xarici means 'foreigners'._

_* Asheara said: "Good fortune go with you, Alem and Kala." Baal answered: "And with you."_

_* Hezerat is a general word for 'gentlemen' or 'good people'_

_* The phrase Baal used means 'rat's honor' - a sort of thieves' code._


	2. 2 - Mirages

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart**_

* * *

><p><em>"No one jailed us<em>  
><em>Haphazard hearts took no sure stance<em>  
><em>Unseen blood made no sudden movements<em>  
><em>Our hands guided themselves<em>  
><em>No voice was raised<em>  
><em>And no song was sung." <em>  
><em>- The Castanets<em>  
><em>"No Voice was Raised" <em>

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, this story is going to earn its M rating a little sooner than I had expected. So <em>you<em>, dear readers, can expect some fireworks in the later part of this chapter. Hope you all enjoy! I would really love some feedback about it, considering that I have never written a love scene before. *.*  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter Two: Mirages<p>

It took them a little over two hours to reach the Hidden Camp. The first leg of the journey involved cutting directly through the city from the South Gate, where they had entered, to the East Gate. After that, there was a brief trek through the brushy area at the base of the cliff, across several dry streambeds, and then a grueling uphill climb that left them all sweating and exhausted. When the path finally leveled out, they stared around in disbelief. The dusty ground and jagged rocks bore not a hint of human habitation.

"There's nothing here," Caesar said at last.

"Think again," replied their diminutive guide. She brushed aside a clump of tall grass to reveal a narrow cleft, barely wide enough to fit one person, winding back into the rock. Baal followed after her as she stepped into it, with Saiya on his heels. The others trailed behind, though Kormac had to turn sideways to accommodate his broad shoulders.

"Here we are," said Squirt, after a few minutes. "Told you it was hard to find."

Saiya couldn't believe her eyes. The camp had appeared seemingly out of nowhere: a dozen tents and a few shacks cobbled together from discarded boards, a few horses and camels on picket lines, a campfire pit with a massive cauldron hanging over it, a small, sparse garden and a herd of goats, guarded by a single scruffy hound – everything that a small community needed to thrive. And thrive they had. Men, women, and children of all ages wandered around, some of them with purpose and others aimless. They were mostly Kehjistani, though Saiya spotted a family of pale-skinned Khandurans, and a wizened man who she thought might be umbaru. Despite the diversity, they all had one thing in common; every single one carried a weapon.

A thin, sour-faced woman sharpening a knife glanced up and saw the newcomers. She got to her feet and came towards them at a leisurely pace. Saiya couldn't help but notice that she kept the knife in her hand.

"_Bu ableh kimlerdir?" _she asked Squirt.

"Mind what you say, I'tidal," said the girl. "They speak _arabi_."

The woman grunted. Her hooded eyes passed over each member of the group in turn before drifting back to Baal, who was in front. "Who are you?" she said in heavily accented Khanduran. "What do you want here?"

"My name is Alem, _xanim_," said Baal. "My friends and I seek shelter, and we are willing to pay for it."

Another grunt. Her face, as tight as a sprung trap, gave nothing away. "I'm sure you would. And who would pay to know your whereabouts, I wonder?"

Baal's sharp canines flashed as he grinned at her. "The same people, no doubt, who would pay to know _yours_. I know a _didergin _when I see one, my lady."

I'tidal flinched as though he had reached out and slapped her. She fixed a burning gaze on Squirt and muttered, "You should not have brought them here. If our cause fails because of them, I will hold you responsible." She stalked away with the wounded grace of a cat whose tail has been pulled.

Squirt did not seem in the least bit bothered by the woman's hostility. With a cheerful smile, she said, "Come on. I'll show you where you can bed down, and then you can take a look at my wares."

"Your wares?" Saiya asked as the girl led them towards the back of the camp, where a number of bedrolls were laid out on the bare earth beneath an overhang of stone.

Squirt nodded. "I'm a merchant by trade. My prices are high, but worthwhile – if you can afford them."

"And the legitimacy of the goods you sell?" inquired the wizard dryly.

"Well, I wouldn't openly wear the Stone of Jordan in the Imperial Palace, or ask a blacksmith in the city to craft any armor from the plans I sell," she said. "But for the most part it's all stuff that I find lying around, unused."

"By which she means she takes it off dead bodies!" cackled the umbaru man as they passed by his bedroll. Squirt made a hand gesture that no child ought to know, but the man only laughed harder. His wheezing chuckles eventually morphed into an ugly cough, and he bent over, clutching his chest in pain. Squirt kept walking without looking back, her small shoulders stiff and straight.

"Here you go," she said at last, indicating a spot some ways away from the main camp. "No one should bother you here."

She stayed while they staked out their sleeping area (Saiya was both touched and amused to note that Baal positioned his bedroll so that he was between her and the rest of the group) and afterwards when they moved to the bonfire to prepare their food, she hovered around them like a bee around a flower.

It was Saiya's turn to cook, and she boiled rice with smoked fish and sweet potatoes added in for flavor. On the side she sliced up one of the fruits they had purchased at the bazaar, a large, cumbersome thing with a rind like crocodile skin and a mass of spiky leaves on top. The inside was bright gold and juicy, with a hard, fibrous core, and had a tangy flavor. Squirt watched her every move with famished eyes, and by the time the meal was ready to serve, Saiya couldn't take it any more. She filled an extra bowl and handed it to the child.

"Here you go," she said. "Your payment for bringing us all the way up here."

Squirt looked from her to the steaming rice and back again with an expression of joyful disbelief. "You really mean it?" she asked. "I can eat this?"

The young monk nodded. "Better do it now before it gets cold."

She needed no further encouragement. Forgoing any sort of utensil, she scooped up handfuls of rice with her fingers and shoveled them into her mouth until her cheeks looked like a chipmunk's, chewing noisily and blissfully. Saiya's instinctive smile at the sight of someone enjoying her food was tempered by the suspicion that it had been some time since the child had eaten a proper meal.

The sun was setting by the time the dishes had been scoured clean, and the weary adventurers were more than happy to climb into their bedrolls. No one from the camp had spoken to them since their arrival, but the atmosphere was thick with tension, and more than one of the group slept with their weapons close at hand.

Saiya woke well before dawn and meditated for half an hour before visiting one of the latrine tents on the outskirts of the camp to bathe. It took her some time to work out the complex system: a lever brought water from the well pumping through a copper pipe that poured it out at head-height like a miniature waterfall. The runoff was channeled through a stone trench in the floor and collected to serve as 'waste water' for the animals or the garden.

Satisfactorily clean, she dressed and returned to the camp, where Najmah was frying up the remnants of their dinner with some _naan _bread. He had also made some coffee, which Saiya accepted with enthusiasm, enjoying the bitter burn much more than she had the previous day. Everyone was up except – strangely – Baal, who still slumbered fitfully. Saiya let him rest until breakfast was ready, whereupon she crouched next to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, murmuring, "Rise and shine."

His reaction was startling. With a speed she hadn't seen in him since their first meeting by the river, he bolted upright and had her pinned to the ground before she could cry out, the razor edge of his hunting knife pressed to her throat. His teeth were bared in a snarl, his eyes wide and completely crimson. Saiya held perfectly still, not daring to speak or even breathe. A quick sideways flicker of her eyes showed her that their companions hadn't noticed her predicament.

Baal blinked several times, exhaled shakily, and stared down at the knife in his hand as though he had never seen it before. Then he glanced at Saiya's frozen features and the look on his face changed to one of horror. He scrambled off of her and sat down hard, hurling the knife away into the bushes.

"I'm so sorry!" he gasped. "Saiya, I didn't mean to - to - I didn't know what I was doing! I'd never-"

She sat up slowly, brushing her thumb along the smooth skin of her neck where his blade had rested. There was not even a scratch, though she could still feel the cold kiss of the metal. Baal was watching her with stricken eyes.

"It's all right," she said.

He lowered his gaze. "No, it's not. I hurt you … _you_, who means everything to me. Because for one stupid moment, I wasn't in control."

"I'm not hurt. See?" Taking his hand, Saiya guided it to her throat, where his fingers stroked almost involuntarily across her bare flesh.

"But you could have been," he whispered – more to himself than to her, she suspected. His mouth twisted in a pained grimace.

"What caused you to react like that?" asked Saiya. "Was it just being suddenly woken?"

Baal hesitated. "No. I was … dreaming. Remembering." He sighed, looking around with a lost expression. "It's this place. Being here, it makes me think of things I'd rather forget."

Saiya remembered the shocked respect in Squirt's voice: _"You? A runner?" _She didn't know what a 'runner' might be, but it sounded dangerous and difficult. Briefly, she considered asking him, but decided against it. When he felt the time was right, he would tell her.

Instead, she placed her hand in his and squeezed in wordless support. They stayed like that until Caesar roused them by sarcastically inquiring whether they would like their breakfast in bed.

After eating, they gathered together for one last discussion of strategy before parting ways. Leah and Caesar were still determined to gain access to the Emperor's court, and Leah outlined a route through the city sewer system that would eject them just inside the palace gates.

"And if Hakan is dead, or a prisoner, or will not listen to reason?" Baal asked. "What will you do then?"

"You think he might be dead?" Leah exclaimed.

The Hunter shrugged. "It's a possibility. No one outside the palace has seen him in two months. If I were you, I'd be careful."

"We'll take care of her," said Caesar. The expression on Baal's face made no secret of how inconsequential he deemed the wizard's service, but he said nothing.

Kormac brought out a map that had been loaned to him by one of the men in camp. Spreading it out on the sand with a rock at each corner to pin it down, he traced the road to Alcarnus with his forefinger.

"It's a long ways," he said. "We don't have the time or resources to acquire better transport, so we'll have to hoof it."

"We've traveled further," Saiya remarked.

"Yes," said Caesar, "but not through the high desert. Heatstroke, dehydration, sandstorms, poisonous insects … need I go on? You'll be lucky if you make it to Maghda."

"Couldn't you warp us there?" Kormac asked him.

"I'm afraid not," he replied. "Too far, and I don't know the terrain. I'd be likely to put us in a mountain, or drop us down some godsforsaken hole in the ground."

"You forget that I was born in these parts, mage," said Baal. "I know all the dangers of the desert, and its secrets, too. We'll get there alright. It's fighting the bitch that concerns me." He glanced sideways at Ghor, who was staring into the fire. "Are you sure you won't come with us, _sangoma_? A magic user like yourself would be quite an asset."

She shook her head, though there was regret on her face. "Caesar and Leah will need my help. There is great evil here."

"Well then." He got to his feet, fastening his cloak and slinging his crossbows over his shoulder. "Let's get moving."

Saiya said her goodbyes, hugging Ghor and Leah and offering an awkward handshake to Caesar. She'd had barely any physical contact with the wizard since she and Baal had agreed to give their relationship a chance to grow. Sometimes, when the Hunter was especially distant, she found herself missing his casual flirtations. Caesar, she was sure, would not be so loath to take her to bed.

Baal wasted no time in setting out, and he walked as quickly as if all the demons of hell were hot on his heels. Saiya and Kormac (along with Najmah, who surprisingly had chosen to join them) were hard-pressed to keep up with him.

They stopped briefly in Caldeum to acquire some necessities for their journey into the desert. Headscarves, to protect their faces from sand and sun, a few extra flasks of water, and a map and compass to help guide their way, though the latter hardly seemed necessary, as the road lay straight and bare as bones under the metallic sky. The sun was barely past the horizon, but already heat waves shimmered on the sand like dancing spirits.

Travelers were plentiful in the first few miles outside the walls, but they were all heading in the same direction – towards the city. Some were merchants and farmers carting their wares to the marketplace, others were Iron Wolves on patrol, easily identified by their red hauberks. Once they passed by a group of refugees, many of whom were wounded.

After several hours, however, the flow of traffic died out. The landscape grew steadily more inhospitable: farmland turning into dunes of sand and homesteads into fire-gutted shells, long abandoned. They stopped in one of these for lunch, and though the damage looked recent, Saiya marveled at the buildup of sand and debris. It was, she thought, as though the desert was consuming any traces of human presence, gobbling it up and spitting out the bones.

Speaking of bones, there were a lot. Whole skeletons, sometimes, lying where they had fallen by the roadside, picked clean by scavengers and bleached by the relentless sun. Most were animal in nature, oxen or camel, and even the odd horse or dog, but there were a few human ones mixed in there as well.

Eventually the road began to slope down, entering a canyon of jagged black stone. Makeshift railings lashed together with rope guarded the worst of the edges, but the way was still perilous enough.

Rounding a corner, Baal came to a sudden halt, holding out his arm. Saiya nearly walked into his back, but he didn't seem to notice.

"There's someone up ahead," he murmured.

She peered past him. A young woman was sitting in the shade of a boulder, reading a book. She was shockingly incongruous in the surroundings: skin as pale as snow, honey-colored hair tied up in a purple ribbon, a scanty outfit that left her midriff, arms, and legs open to the air. Propped up beside her was a curious staff with a large colored glass orb at the end.

"Do you think she's lost?" Saiya whispered.

Baal frowned. "I'm not sure. There's an odd smell about her – old magic, like Leah. We should be careful."

"You don't think she's an agent of Maghda, do you?" asked Kormac, tightening his hand on the grip of his spear.

"Only one way to find out," said Baal. He stepped forward resolutely, calling out, "Greetings, stranger! What brings you out this far from civilization?"

The woman calmly closed her book and rose to her feet, proving that she had already known they were there.

"If you intend to go farther, take heed," she warned. "The Coven guards these desert roads, and they will slay any who venture here."

"That does not concern us," said Baal. "We have fought them before."

Her face lit up. "Ah! Then we have a common enemy. Let me accompany you. I may be of some service."

The four of them exchanged wary glances. Kormac said, "And what, pray, can you do – if I may ask."

"The Coven has disguised their trail with illusions to prevent any from finding their secret hideaways," said the woman. "I can see through those illusions, and banish them. Without me, you will be led astray and killed."

The quiet certainty in her voice was chilling. It was not a threat; Saiya could detect no malice in her tone. But Kormac gritted his teeth and growled, "And how are we to know that _you _will not lead us astray? Are we to trust you simply because you claim to be a friend?"

"You will either trust me or you won't," she said. "Nothing I say will change that."

"How do you know _we _are to be trusted?" said Baal. "We could be supplicants of Maghda, on our way to her side."

The woman smiled serenely, reminding Saiya strangely of Ghor. "You faces tell me the truth." She pointed to each of them in turn. "Demon Hunter. Monk. Templar. And you, the most powerful, the most pure of all. You don't remember, but you will."

"Who _are_ you?" breathed Najmah. "To know that …"

"I am Eirena," she said. "Nothing more, nothing less." She stood with feet planted firmly in the sand, staff in one hand and book in the other, the picture of confidence.

"I think we should let her join us," Saiya declared. "If what she says is true, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Alright," said Baal. "Welcome, Eirena. I am Alem-"

The secret smile floated over her lips. "There is no need for deception, Hunter. I will not betray you."

Baal kept his composure, but Saiya could see from his eyes that he was shaken. "Very perceptive. Well then, you can call me Baal. This is Saiya, Kormac, and Najmah."

Eirena dropped into a curtsey. "Pleased to meet you all. Shall we be off? We have a long ways yet to go."

It was quite awkward at first. Kormac walked close behind their new ally with his weapon close at hand, plainly not ready to accept her as one of the group. Baal as well seemed unsettled, and watched the blonde woman from the corner of his eye. Saiya's intuition told her that Eirena meant them no harm, but something about her face bothered the monk. It was open and friendly, yes, the lips eager to smile and the brow free of worry lines, but there was something amiss that Saiya could not put her finger on.

The road curved steeply down now, plunging into the gully. They followed it past the wreckage of an overturned wagon and through a gap in a ruined wall where a gate had once stood. And it was there that the first ambush came.

The only warning they had was Gawahir leaping into flight from Baal's shoulder, shrieking, "Watch out below! Watch out below!" A moment later, the canyon walls exploded with sound and movement as a score of enemies leaped out of hiding. They attacked unhesitatingly, and Saiya found herself back to back with Eirena, fighting desperately to fend off a yowling creature with black fur and a feral, cat-like face. It walked upright on two legs, like a human, and was clad in rudimentary armor, but its hands ended in wicked talons, and a tail lashed angrily at its hindquarters.

Saiya blocked a swipe to her face with her forearm and delivered a swift punch that sent the thing reeling back. She slew it with a vicious kick to the chest and turned to see how Eirena was coping.

Three of the feline assailants were advancing on her, but before Saiya could jump to her aid she spun her staff in the air and slammed the base into the sand. The thick scent of rose petals wafted on the breeze, and the trio of enemies changed course and fell upon their own comrades.

"What-" Saiya gasped.

Eirena smiled at her. "Basic charm spell. Under its influence, they will do my bidding."

"What exactly _are _they?" Saiya started to ask, but two more sprang at her and she was forced to step back and parry. A crashing blow to the side of the head knocked one of them unconscious, and she got the other in her favorite neck-breaking lock, though not before it managed to score her leg with its claws. Then one of them latched onto her back and bore her to the ground. She landed hard, inhaled a cloud of dust, and began to cough uncontrollably. There was a sharp pain in her shoulder as the creature fastened its teeth into the thick muscle there.

Gathering all her strength, Saiya rolled over, pinning the beast beneath her. With her arms free, she used her elbow to pummel it mercilessly in the ribs until it released her. She scrambled up and turned to finish her adversary off, only to see that the job had already been done. A black-feathered bolt pierced the head, emerging just above one of the pointed ears.

Looking around, Saiya saw that the battle was over: a relatively easy victory. Baal (who had scaled the canyon wall to a ledge about ten feet up) was unscathed, as was Eirena. Saiya's shoulder smarted, but the wound was not deep and required no binding. Najmah's nose was bleeding where a stray blow had caught him unawares; he had a wad of cloth pressed to it.

Kormac was the worst injured – a nasty cut running the length of his unprotected forearm. He was trying unsuccessfully to bandage it with only one hand when Eirena came over, unwinding her silk sash. Without a word she knelt down and bound it tightly around the wound, tying off the ends in a neat bow. The Templar watched her work with a disconcerted look on his face.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely.

Eirena smiled up at him, and he glanced away.

"What are these things?" Saiya asked Baal. The Hunter had jumped down from his sniping spot and was walking between the black-furred corpses, occasionally nudging one with his toe.

"Lacuni," he replied. "They're the goatmen of the desert. Barbaric, aggressive, impossible to reason with – although I have heard rumors that the jungle tribes used to trade with nearby cities. It is unusual for them to be so near to civilization, though. Maghda's doing, I wonder?" He turned to look at Eirena. "You've proved your worth, I suppose. What-"

He was interrupted by a cracking sound from above. An avalanche of boulders had broken loose from the rim of the canyon and was thundering down on them. In an instant, Baal had seized Saiya by the arm and hauled her into a little pocket in the stone. Najmah was also able to take shelter in time, but Kormac and Eirena were stranded in the middle of the path, too far from either wall to reach safety before the rocks rained down around them.

"Kormac!" Saiya screamed, struggling against Baal's arms to rush out and do something, _anything_, to help her friend. The Hunter restrained her forcibly, throwing his full weight against her to keep her back. His teeth were clenched in a pained grimace, but he would not let her go.

And then it was over, the last pebbles clattering down to land ineffectually on top of the massive pile. The dust settled. There was neither sight nor sound of their buried companions.

Baal stepped back, hands falling limply to his sides as he stared in shock at the ground where, seconds ago, they had all been standing. But Saiya rushed forward, tearing rocks from the mound and throwing them aside in feverish haste. She lost her footing, stumbled, fell to her knees, and staggered upright again.

"Saiya," Baal said. "Leave it. They're gone."

He was so calm, so unemotional, and a frayed nerve snapped within her chest. She spun and hurled the stone she held in his direction. Her aim was off, impaired by the tears that swam hotly in her vision, and the projectile bounced harmlessly off the sand several feet away.

"Help me, damn you!" she yelled at him. "Kormac's under there and we have to get to him. Help me!" Her voice broke, and she whimpered, "Help me. Please."

Najmah came to her assistance, his huge hands shifting even the heaviest rocks with ease. After a moment Baal joined in as well, working away in silence. In the deep recesses of her mind, Saiya felt bad for shouting at him, but she could not bring herself to apologize, not yet.

They had moved less than half the pile when a faint noise came from underneath. It was too muffled and indistinct to be truly heartening, but hope blossomed in Saiya's heart anyway. She put her face close to the stones and said, "Kormac? Eirena? Can you hear us?"

Her tears, this time of relief, started afresh when the Templar's voice reached her ears. "We're here. We can't move."

"Just hang in there!" she cried. "We're trying to get to you!"

Saiya renewed her assault on the heap, digging frantically through the dirt and debris with both hands. The skin on her palms and fingers was being scraped raw by the friction, but she didn't care. All that mattered was reaching the prisoners before their air supply ran out.

She rolled one last chunk out of the way and was suddenly confronted by a shimmering shield of magic. Through it she could see Kormac's back, and Eirena's face looking up at her from underneath the Templar. The shield was hers, and she was obviously expending a lot of effort to maintain it. Sweat beaded on her forehead; her eyes were glassy with concentration. The young monk recognized the look of a mage whose arcane reservoir was waning; she had seen Caesar drive himself into such a state, and she knew that if the shield failed now, the pair really would be crushed under the remainder of the stones.

She gestured urgently to Baal and Najmah, instructing them to help her enlarge the opening she had made. The shield could not be penetrated from the outside, but on her prompting, Kormac began to rise up from the cramped position he was in, stretching his hands up toward the gap. Saiya grabbed hold of them as soon as they were outside the shining bubble, heaving with all her might. She toppled backwards with the Templar on top of her and clung to him, choking on pent-up sobs.

"Hush, _Schwesterchen_," he murmured, levering himself up on his uninjured arm. "I'm all right."

Meanwhile, Baal and Najmah extracted Eirena from the pile, which collapsed the instant she was free. The petite woman was half-fainting in Baal's arms, but still she managed a weary smile.

"Thank you," she mumbled. "I couldn't have held out for much longer."

"Impressive magic," replied the Hunter. "Where did you learn it?"

"Far from here," was her only answer.

"Well," rumbled Kormac, getting to his feet, "you saved my life, and for that I will be forever grateful." To Baal, he said, "If you are amenable, _mein freund, _I would appreciate finding a campsite soon. After that last ordeal, I'm not sure how much further I can go today, and … Eirena should rest as well."

Knowing Baal as she did, Saiya half-expected him to refuse, but he only said, "Let's get out of this blasted canyon, at least. Then we can stop for the day."

A piercing whistle summoned Gawahir, who was beginning to nibble at the lacuni corpses. Baal gave the raven some instructions in Kehjistani, which he apparently understood, and sent him skyward with a thrust of his hand.

"He'll spy ahead and report back to me on the lay of the land," Baal explained. Saiya was impressed; she knew that he had spent considerable hours training the bird to respond to his commands, but she didn't realize that it was capable of such intelligent behavior.

Wary of more traps or ambushes, they made slow progress, and by the time Gawahir returned several hours later, they had only advanced another mile or two. Baal consulted his forward scout and cheerfully informed them that the end of the canyon was not far away. But when they turned the final corner, it was to find the road blocked by a massive slide of boulders, far greater than the one they had recently escaped from.

"Asheara _did _warn us," Saiya muttered, staring at the obstruction in dismay.

Baal studied it with a critical eye. "Climbing will be difficult, on account of that overhang. Perhaps if I were to go first and lower a rope …"

"No need," said Eirena. "This is a mirage."

"How can-" Baal began, but before the question could take shape in his mouth Kormac lunged forward and knocked him bodily to the ground. A bolt of magical fire sizzled on the sand where the Hunter's feet had been, leaving behind a splatter of rapidly cooling glass.

"Cultists!" Saiya shouted, spotting the telltale robed figures lining the rim of the canyon. More emerged from a hidden alcove behind them, boxing them in. Some of them had demons crawling at their heels, shackled to their masters by a fiery chain.

"_Scheiße,_" Kormac groaned. "Too many."

Baal took cover behind a boulder and opened fire. Three coven members tumbled down from the cliff tops, and the rest backed away out of range.

"I can clear the path ahead of us," Eirena said, "but I'll need a few minute to cast the spell. Can you cover me?"

Saiya nodded. "Don't worry about it, we've got your back." Shifting her brass knuckles to a more secure grip, she started forward to engage the nearest group of cultists, making sure to target the mages first. She had seen first hand how much devastation their life-draining spells could cause. Kormac charged into the fray beside her, leaving Najmah to defend the enchantress.

As she blocked and kicked, dodged and threw punches, a wild euphoria coursed through her – the kind that she felt only in the heat of battle, when her body and mind became one and moved fluidly and without hindrance. It was like a dance, and her opponent was her partner. She let her feet carry her where they would, trusting her techniques to keep her safe, and it was only when she heard Baal shout her name that she realized she was surrounded.

Saiya was concerned, but only for a moment. Like a lantern flaring to life and scouring the shadows, the knowledge of _exactly _what she needed to do, and how to do it, flashed through her mind. She drew in a deep breath, inhaling until she thought her lungs would burst – and with it, pulled nearby lifeforms to her as if she was a magnet and they were chunks of metal. The cultists cried out in surprise and panic as they were dragged forward against their will. And at the apex of the breath, when she could surely hold no more, she released it and scattered them like leaves before the wind. Kormac dealt finishing blows to any that had survived.

"Heads up!" squawked Gawahir, fluttering in circles around Baal's head. The Hunter swore inventively.

"There's more coming down the road behind us!" he exclaimed. "Eirena, how's that spell coming along?"

"This is … powerful magic," gasped the enchantress, "unlike anything I have seen before."

"Can you do it or not?" Baal snapped impatiently.

She straightened her shoulders and turned to give him a determined smile. "I can. A few more minutes is all I need."

"I don't think we have a few minutes," Saiya said, eyeing the advancing force. "There's got to be fifty at least, with demons in tow. Things are about to get rough."

"We've taken on more than that with just the two of us," replied Baal.

"Go," said Kormac, suddenly. His voice was strained. "When Eirena dispels the illusion, get the women out of here. I'll cover our retreat."

"No!" Saiya cried. "It's a death trap!"

The look in his eyes made it clear he knew that very well.

"We're _not_ leaving you behind," she growled. "If you stay and fight, so do we all."

There was a sharp cry from Eirena, and the boulders that had blocked their path evaporated like water drying in the sun. Najmah caught the petite woman as she swayed heavily.

"Let us hurry," he urged. "I can see open ground ahead."

"But the cultists!" Kormac persisted. "They will continue to follow us unless something is done to stop them."

Saiya clenched her teeth. She'd thought the Templar dead once already that day; there was no way she was going to lose him for real. Throwing out an arm to hold him in place, she said, "I have a better idea," and reached for the music of the bell.

It was slow to respond to her call – perhaps because it had been so long, perhaps because the situation was not as dire as some she had been in – but when it finally rang, the earth trembled. Great waves of holy power rippled out, smashing through rock and kicking up clouds of sand. Saiya staggered backwards away from the destruction she had wrought, shielding her eyes from the stinging cloud. Baal grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the canyon exit. He was laughing.

"That'll slow them down!" he crowed. "Hah! Maghda wanted a landslide, well, she's got one!"

"I didn't mean to cause an actual landslide," Saiya protested as they stumbled out into the harsh glare of the sun. "Now the road back really _is _unusable."

"It doesn't matter," he said. "The important thing is, we're through, and the cultists can't follow us. All the same, we should go a bit farther before we camp."

They made it another mile or so before deciding on a spot in a shallow dip, near enough to the roadside that they would have no trouble finding their way back, but far enough that anyone passing by in the night would not be likely to notice them. Baal built up an insubstantial fire from the parched bushes and heated some water, which he used to clean the gash on Kormac's arm, as well as the bite mark on Saiya's shoulder. The latter he left open to the air to facilitate healing.

The Hunter took first watch after dinner, kindly offered his empty bedroll to Eirena. Saiya, who was slated to go next, knew that she should try to get some sleep, but couldn't. The moon that rose over the horizon line was larger than any she had seen before: huge and swollen, it dangled like a luminescent pearl over the desert, turning the sand into a shimmering silver ocean. Its light pierced even through her closed eyelids.

At last, she slipped from under the blanket and padded past her slumbering companions to the rock outcrop a few yards from camp where Baal sat, crossbow close at hand, and stared at the sky. Faithful Gawahir sat beside him, crooning softly and rubbing his feathered head against his masters hand.

"What are you doing up?" Baal asked without turning his head as she settled down beside him. "Your watch doesn't start for another half-hour at least."

"I can't sleep," Saiya admitted. "It's so bright out here. I'm not used to it."

His face looked cold in the pale light, as if he was made of metal. Even his smile was steely, cut thin across his face like a knife wound. "You were very impressive today, in the canyon," he said. "Brilliant timing with the bell, and that other technique you used. That was one I'd never seen before."

"I made it up on the spur of the moment."

"Even more remarkable, then. How's your shoulder feeling?"

She wiggled it up and down. "A bit stiff and sore, but I'll be fine. I've had a lot worse."

His face stilled, and she wondered if he was remembering how the joint had been dislocated during their battle against the Butcher.

"It's a good thing we met Eirena," she said, wanting to change the subject. "Without her, we might all have died."

Baal made a noncommittal noise. "What do you think of her?"

"I like her," said Saiya. "She seems trustworthy and compassionate. Do you think she'll travel far with us?"

"Hard to tell. You didn't notice anything … _strange _… about her?"

The young monk frowned. "Strange? Well, now that you mention it, there _is_ something. It's hard to pin down, really, but its her eyes, I think. They don't quite match the rest of her face."

"Yes, that's it," he said. "They're too old for her, aren't they. Like those of a woman past her hundredth year."

"But she doesn't look any older than me! Could it be magic, do you think? She _did _say she was skilled in the art of illusions …"

But Baal shook his head – more out of uncertainty, she thought, than dissent. He said, "Whatever her story is, she's useful in a fight. I suppose we should be grateful for that, and not pry into her affairs."

They were silent for a while, watching a snake wind its sensual way across the sand, leaving ribbons in its wake. Then Saiya said, somewhat hesitantly, "Baal, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel as though I'm about to be scolded?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. I was just wondering why … I mean … we _are _a couple, aren't we?"

The solitary eyebrow was joined by its twin, as they struggled to reach his hairline. "That was my understanding. Why do you ask?" With only the slightest hint of a hitch in his voice, he said, "Are you having second thoughts?"

"No," she replied, weighing her words carefully. "But I sometimes wonder if you are. You seem - well, reluctant. To - to -"

"To have sex with you."

Saiya flushed redder than the _pomegranate _fruits she had seen in the Caldeum bazaar. "Yes. That."

"I thought I made it clear that I was taking it slow," he said. "It's for your benefit, mostly. I don't want to go too fast and upset you."

"Glaciers have been known to move with greater speed," she chuckled, trying to inject some levity into the suddenly tense atmosphere. Baal didn't laugh.

"If you're getting impatient," he began, but Saiya cut him off with a quick gesture.

"_No_," she said firmly. "I'm _not _putting pressure on you, or trying to convince you to sleep with me."

His lips twisted in a bitter smile. "Most men wouldn't need convincing. You're perfectly within your rights to be annoyed with me."

"Oh, Baal." She took his hand, playing with it, tracing circles on his palm. "I still love you, as much as ever. Not just romantically, but as a friend, too. And if you're not comfortable doing more, than I accept that. I'm not even going to ask you why. That's your business, not mine."

Baal met her eyes for the first time since she had joined him, and the raw affection she saw there took her breath away. "I don't deserve you, _nuur il-'en,_" he murmured, brushing the backs of his fingers across her cheek in a tender caress. "Gods know, I'm going to hold on to you for as long as I possibly can, but I don't deserve a moment of it."

"Nonsense," Saiya said briskly. "We're two of the most mule-headed people in Sanctuary. Is it any wonder that we ended up together?"

He _did_ laugh then, shoulders shaking, pressing his lips tightly together to keep the sound from leaking out and bounding joyfully across the sands. He regarded Saiya with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"You know," he said, in a sly tone, "there's more than one way that two people can enjoy each other without having intercourse."

It took her a moment or so to realize that he was not speaking theoretically. "You - you want to - what do you want to do?" she stammered.

In one smooth movement, he turned and pressed her down against the flat surface of the rock, his left hand coming up to guard the back of her head. He leaned over her, their chests touching and his right leg straddling hers. Saiya found that she was suddenly unable to breathe, and counted slowly to five in her head before she inhaled as regularly as she could manage. He had been close to her before, but never like this. He always held back, keeping himself on a tight leash even during the most passionate of kisses, but now she could read the naked lust in his eyes, and it lit a reciprocal fire in the pit of her belly.

Baal nipped her nose, smiling when she squeaked in surprise. He moved down to her lips, and _that _at least she was comfortable enough with to respond. But then his free hand conquered the ties on her shirt and moved toward her breast, and she froze up again.

He stopped kissing her instantly. Saiya swore silently at herself. If only she could get over that embarrassing habit! Now he would ask her, with such _concern_, if she wanted him to cease what he was doing.

But to her surprise, he murmured, "Just relax, Saiya. You'll like this, I promise." His fingers resumed their work of undoing the bandages that had been serving her as a breastband, since that was the one article of clothing that Kormac had failed to acquire for her.

With her chest unbound, he massaged the soft, rounded flesh, tweaking her nipple playfully to elicit another squeak. It felt amazingly good, and when his mouth followed his hand she couldn't restrain a moan. His stubble tickled her skin, and his tongue was so … warm. He suckled on her nipple as if he was a nursing babe, but there was nothing innocent about it. It sent currents of pleasure and need straight to her core.

Abruptly he pulled his head away, turning it sharply, and a chill ran across her damp skin. She made muffled sound of protest, but Baal was not listening.

"Hey!" he growled. "Get out of here, you little bastard! Go find a sandworm or something."

Saiya glanced to the side, where he was looking, and let out a snort of laughter. Gawahir was standing not two feet away, observing them with keen interest. At the Hunter's harsh words, he gave them a wounded look and beat his wings, scattering them with sand. In the air, he circled a few times, a jet bird against an obsidian sky, and winged southward.

Baal was already getting back to work. "Now, where was I?" he muttered. "Ah, right." He shifted his attentions to her other breast. Saiya was so concentrated on the wonderful new sensations flooding her brain that she didn't mark the progress of his hand until it had already wandered beneath the fabric of her pants.

She gasped, hips jerking involuntarily, as he touched her. Baal hesitated, searching her face for consent, and she nodded rapidly. He continued stroking her, shifting his weight upwards so he could reach more easily. His fingertip danced over the little bud of flesh, tracing secret patterns. He was hard against her hip, and she was conscious of _wanting _him with a deep, primal desire, wanting him to fill her, to be one with her, to spill the very essence of his being into her. And with that thought, the roar in her ears built to a deafening crescendo and she was lost, stricken blind, deaf and mute, cast adrift in a sea of bliss.

She wasn't sure how long she lay there on the rock, sweating and panting and trembling, but when she came back to herself Baal was watching her with a smile on his face. There was no small amount of pride in that smile, though whether for her or for himself she could not guess.

"Well?" he said.

Saiya stared dumbly at him, trying to gather the thoughts that had been scattered to the four corners of Sanctuary. "That was … wow."

His grin widened. He was definitely pleased with himself.

She sat up, taking stock of her body as she rebound the bandages on her chest and tied her shirt closed. The last echoes of rapture reverberated in her core when she moved, but mostly she felt tired. Exhausted, in fact, as though she could sleep for a year. And – there was no delicate way to put this, even in her own mind – her underclothes needed to be changed. She felt a distinct wetness that was rapidly growing cold.

Suddenly, it occurred to her that their encounter had been entirely one-sided. She frowned, irritated with herself for being so thoughtless.

"What's the matter?" Baal asked.

"You … I didn't … um, do you want me to do that for you? What you did, I mean?"

A quick glance informed her that he was still aroused. But he said, "That's all right, _nuur il-'en. _I appreciate the thought, but you don't need to."

"I _want _to," she said. And it was true. Though her own need was sated for the moment, she was curious about his. What would his face look like in the moment of release? Would he shout to the heavens, as she had overheard lovers doing before? Or would he be quiet and controlled even in ecstasy?

Baal opened his mouth, but his reply was cut short by a scream carried on the wind. He sniffed at the air, crimson fire blazing in his eyes.

"Demons," he spat, and before Saiya could make a sound, he had grabbed his crossbow and vanished into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>* I'tidal said: "Who are these fools?"<strong>

**_* Xanim _means 'mistress' or 'lady'.**

*** _Didergin _is a word that ordinarily means 'wanderer', but Baal is making use of its second meaning, 'societal outcast or exile'.**

*** _Mein freund: _"my friend"**


	3. 3 - Shadows of the Past

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart**_

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><p><em>"No one sentenced us and we kept on<em>  
><em>Unpoliced, we drew uncertain breath<em>  
><em>The lost piled high unchecked<em>  
><em>And the wreckage accumulated as evidence."<em>  
><em>- The Castanets<em>  
><em>"No Voice was Raised"<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, everyone - is it just me, or are updates getting a tiny bit more frequent? I'll try to narrow the gap even more if I can. Two things: first, an ultra-mega Thank You to everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and especially reviewed this story! The comments I get from you guys are so inspiring, and thought-provoking as well. I'd estimate that every review I get is at least one page's worth of inspiration. *wink wink*<strong>

**Two, this chapter contains some descriptions of an abusive relationship. Needless to say, I do not condone any abuse in relationships, period. Also, although the part is very brief, if physical and emotional abuse is a trigger for you, please take care when reading. It's about the middle of the chapter, I think. **

**Thanks once again for reading! Hope you all enjoy. :) **

* * *

><p>Chapter Three: Shadows of the Past<p>

"Baal!" Saiya cried, sprinting after him. "Baal, wait!"

His reply floated back to her: "Get the others!" She skidded to an awkward halt in the soft sand, torn by indecision. She wanted to be at Baal's side, helping him combat this new menace, but suppose they were outnumbered and needed help? Who would alert the others? If only the Hunter had not charged off so recklessly, they could have sized up the threat and made a plan together.

Cursing him under her breath, she turned tail and dashed back to their camp. Eirena was already sitting up, rubbing her eyes and glancing around in confusion. Saiya hissed, "Wake Najmah!" and crouched down to wrest Kormac unceremoniously from his slumber.

"_Ja, danke," _the Templar mumbled. _"Ich möchte noch eine Zimtschecke." _Then, seeing Saiya, he yawned and said, "Oh, _Schwesterchen_. Is it my turn to stand guard already?"

"Someone's been attacked by demons," Saiya explained shortly. "Baal went to help." She picked up her brass knuckles from where they lay beside her bedroll. "Hurry!"

"What's going on?" asked Najmah in the background. Eirena explained to him as she tied back her hair and pulled her boots on.

Kormac, still half-asleep, struggled to don his breastplate and pauldrons, fumbling with the buckles. Impatient, Saiya brushed his hands away and did it for him, making sure that they were tightly secured.

As soon as the Templar was ready, the four of them headed off in the direction Baal had gone. It was not difficult to find him. The sounds of blade against steel and the flash of spells carried effortlessly over the open ground. Cresting a dune, Saiya took in the situation at a glance: a small cluster of people – refugees and Iron Wolves – surrounded on all sides by a horde of lacuni. Baal was among them, shoulder to shoulder with a giant of a man in red armor who wielded a double-bladed axe against his foes.

One of the Wolves went down, screaming, and left a gap in the protective circle. Saiya leaped to fill it and saw Kormac do the same on the other side. Eirena remained where she was on the hilltop, working her magic.

With the reinforcements, the tide of battle turned. Soon the defenders were pressing forward, relentlessly driving the lacuni back. A skillful shot from Baal killed one that had been casting spells from the rear of the band, and with its death, the rest broke and scattered, yowling.

The armored giant, who Saiya took to be the leader of the group, barked orders to several of his men. They began to comb the field, dragging the corpses into a pile and tending the wounded. Meanwhile their captain approached Baal, who was retrieving some of his arrows.

"Thank you, friend," the man said. "Without your help, the lacuni would have eaten well tonight. I am Jarulf of the Iron Wolves, Second Battalion, and if there is ever something I can do to pay you back, I will."

"That's grand," said Baal distractedly. He was trying to remove a bolt that was lodged rather tightly in a lacuni's skull without breaking it.

"Are there many more of these things on the road to Alcarnus?" Saiya asked.

Jarulf looked down at her from his great height and laughed. His face was a twin to the axe he carried: all sharp lines and cutting edges, but there was kindness in his deep-set brown eyes.

"You the boss around here, girly?" he inquired.

"The - the boss?" Saiya mumbled, taken aback. "Uh, no. Not really. I mean, we're not military or anything. We're just … travelers."

His laugh boomed forth again. "Right. Just travelers who can slaughter lacuni faster than a trained company of mercs. Now I've seen everything."

Having decided that she liked the rough-voiced soldier, Saiya held out her hand. "My name's Kala," she said. "My friends are Alem, Haidar, Najmah, and, um, Eirena."

Jarulf engulfed her hand in both of his and shook it solemnly. "Nice to meet you, Kala. Alem. Haidar. Najmah. And, um, Eirena." A teasing smile parted his lips. He was missing several teeth. "So, Alcarnus. Not my business why you're going there, but you'll have a hell of a time of it. Not the lacuni so much as those fucking cultists. They're holed up like foxes in their dens, casting their illusions, and suddenly good people can't see the right road anymore. They walk right over a cliff thinking they're on a bridge. Or they can't _see_ the bridge that's right in front of them. See what I'm saying? Kill the cultists, and you take care of the problem."

"We don't have time to hunt down every rat bastard who follows the witch," said Baal. "Why don't you take care of it, Iron Wolf? Isn't that your job?"

Jarulf shook his head. "Right now, kid, my job is getting these people to safety."

"Well, if your destination is Caldeum, then _you_ have a problem," Baal said. "The road is blocked by a landslide."

"Another illusion, no doubt," said Jarulf, waving a dismissive hand.

Baal and Saiya exchanged a brief glance. "Well, it _was _…" began the monk.

"It caved in for real during our fight with the Coven," explained Baal. "They ambushed us as we were leaving the canyon, and we barely escaped with our lives."

"I see," said Jarulf. "Looks like my boys and I will be busy hauling rocks for a while."

One of the soldiers came up to give his report: three Wolves dead, as well as a refugee who had gotten in the way. There were several wounded, but none in grave condition. Jarulf gave the order to cremate the remains, and leave the dead lacuni for the locusts.

"Listen," he said, turning back to Saiya. "Here's some friendly advice: turn around and go back to wherever you came from. You don't want to tangle with those fuckers out there. I saw you fight, girly, and you're good … but you'll need to be better than good to survive what they'll throw at you."

"Thanks for your concern," Saiya said sincerely, "but this is something that has to be dealt with, and we're going to give it our best shot. We've fought Maghda before, and lived to tell the tale."

"It seems she did as well," said Jarulf, but there was new respect in his eyes. He continued, "If you won't take my advice, can I ask you a favor? As far as my boys can tell, the cultists have two main holdouts in the Howling Plateau. One to the east, one to the west. We need them gone, and so do you if you ever want to be able to find the bridge over Black Canyon. Can I count on you, Kala?"

She cast a surreptitious glance at Baal, who shrugged. "Yes," she said. "We'll make sure they're all cleared out. Good luck, Jarulf."

"Good luck to yourself, kid," he said, and shook her hand once more. Then the battered group limped off in the direction of the canyon, while Saiya, Baal, and the others returned to their own camp. Eirena, Kormac, and Najmah fell (almost literally) into their bedrolls, and Saiya took up her post on the rock outcropping, desperately hoping that the excitement was over for the night. Baal joined her, insisting that his hour was not yet up.

"I'm somewhat surprised that you remembered all of our undercover names," he remarked, stretching out his long legs and resting his weight on his elbows.

"Memorization is one of my strong points," Saiya replied. "All those long, sleepless nights at the temple studying mantras really paid off."

"Well, I'm glad," said the Hunter. "It would have been awkward if Jarulf's report had contained descriptions of several people eerily similar to the ones who harassed Commander Asheara in the marketplace, but bearing different names."

Saiya laughed. "Awkward, indeed. I meant to ask you, by the way, if you picked our aliases at random of if they have some personal meaning to you."

"Some of both, I suppose," he said. "I wouldn't say they have _personal _meaning – well, maybe yours does – but I kept certain traits in mind when selecting them. I figured they'd be easier for me to remember if they were accurate."

When no further explanation was forthcoming, Saiya poked him hard in the side and said, "So? What do they mean?"

"Haidar is 'lion'," said Baal. "It seemed fitting. Kormac is rather lion-like: proud, courageous, and noble, not to mention a terror on the battlefield."

"I can see that," Saiya agreed, nodding. "What about Ghor and Leah? Ghada and Fahima?"

"Ghada means 'graceful woman', plus it's reminiscent of her actual name. Fahima is 'scholar'."

"How very appropriate. And Caesar? What horrible appellation did you stick him with?"

Baal's overly innocent expression confirmed her suspicions. "How do you know it was horrible?" he asked.

"Because I know _you_."

He grinned. "Apparently you do. Homaar translates to … how shall I put it? … 'beast of burden'."

Saiya narrowed her eyes. "Insulting, to be sure, but you've called him worse than that in Khanduran. What does it really mean?"

"Jackass." She pierced him with a glare, and he held up his hands as if to ward off her displeasure. "What? You have to admit it's rather funny. Everyone who is introduced to him is going to be making donkey jokes, and he won't even understand what they're saying."

"I don't find it very amusing to take advantage of someone's ignorance to mock them," Saiya admonished. "I can't believe you're still holding on to this childish grudge of yours, Baal. It was understandable at least when you thought he was a rival for my affections, but now that you know better, I think it's time to let it go. I'm not saying you have to be friends with him, but this constant animosity is driving everyone crazy." She stopped there, realizing that her simple speech was beginning to turn into a lecture.

Baal crossed his arms. "_I'm _driving everyone crazy?" he said sourly. "Why don't you ask the mage to be a little less of a dick?"

"Caesar's not the one with the problem," Saiya shot back. "If you haven't noticed, he's been very well-behaved as of late. Unlike someone else I know." She meant it teasingly, a lighthearted taunt, but his eyes sparked with irritation.

"You're very quick to defend him," he snapped. "I noticed that you managed to drag him along, too."

"He's part of our group," she said calmly, "whether you like it or not."

"I'm more concerned about whether _you _like it," he said. There was something nasty in his tone: a dark suggestion that caused Saiya's hackles to raise.

"What are you trying to say?" she demanded.

"Do you think I'm a fool, Saiya? I _know _you find him attractive – you openly admitted it to me! And he never made any secret of coming on to you. You claim he's no threat to us, but his very presence makes me uneasy."

Saiya felt cold all over, as though she was encased in icy mail. She said, "I see. And here I thought you trusted me."

"I - I do, but-"

"But what? Obviously you _don't_, not completely anyway, or this would never have come up." She allowed her face to thaw, just enough to draw her eyebrows down into a frown of hurt. "I need your complete trust, or this is never going to work."

Baal gasped sharply, as though in pain. "Trust," he mumbled, "is hard to give freely once it's been broken."

She slapped him. Not hard, but with enough force to startle him. He jerked backwards, fingers flying to his cheek, and gaped at her.

"How dare you!" she hissed, choking back tears. "How _dare _you accuse me like that after what we did tonight? I thought … I thought I meant more to you than that …"

"Accuse you?" He looked bewildered. "When did I-"

"Trust is hard to freely give once it's been broken," she repeated, unkindly mimicking his tone.

"I wasn't talking about you, Saiya," he said.

"You weren't?"

"No!"

"Who, then? Because it sure sounded like you were saying _I'd _broken your trust."

"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet, subdued almost. "I was trying to explain why … why it's hard. For me to trust anyone, including you. I did before, and it was a mistake."

It became clear to Saiya then, like the sun beaming down through a gap in the clouds. "This is about your previous relationships, isn't it," she said. "The ones that didn't work out well."

"Yes. I didn't make that clear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to … you've never done anything to shake my faith in you, Saiya, and I don't think you ever would. You're not that kind of person."

"I think," Saiya said slowly, "that it's time you told me about these relationships of yours."

He stiffened. "Why?"

"Because they've obvious had a deep impact on you, and I would like to better understand how it's affected your life."

"You don't know what you're asking," said Baal. "I'm not going to relive some of the worst experiences of my life just to satisfy your curiosity."

She sighed, frustrated, and thought, i_f it doesn't work out between us, will _I _someday be referred to as 'one of the worst experiences of his life'? _

Then she noticed his posture. He was sitting with shoulders hunched and knees drawn up, locked against his chest by his arms. His expression was sullen, but beneath that was the rawness of an open wound. It reminded Saiya crushingly of a child awaiting punishment, and she felt her own anger melting away, to be replaced with empathy. She wanted to put her arms around him and reassure him that she was different, that he had nothing to fear from her, but first she had to get him to believe it.

"Do you remember when we were going after Leoric," she said, "and the stairs were blocked by those spikes, and you pushed me because you knew that if I was in danger, I would be able to use the bell to clear the path?"

"Yeah," said Baal. There was a strong undertone of _What the hell are you on about? _in his voice.

"I was so mad at you," Saiya said. "It wasn't what you did … it was the fact that afterwards I wasn't sure I could trust you anymore. To have that trust and then lose it – that hurt more than not having it in the first place."

"If you understand that, you should understand how I feel," he replied.

Saiya nodded. "I do. But trust works both ways, Baal. You should be able to trust me not to betray you. And I should be able to trust you not to look at me and see a woman that hurt you in the past."

"That's absolutely true," he said, "and I'm sorry that's so hard for me, but I still don't see how telling you about my previous relationships will help. It's not going to make a difference."

"It will to me," Saiya insisted. "If I don't know why _those_ relationships failed, how will I know what to avoid in ours?"

Baal made a small noise in the back of his throat. "Oh. Okay. I guess that makes sense. If you really want to know, then I'll - I'll tell you."

Saiya started to say, _"Only if you feel comfortable," _and then stopped herself. In this instance, she felt that their joint future was more important than his comfort. There were some things, she reflected, that he would probably never want to discuss with her, and this was apparently one of them. But still she needed to know, if just to get a better idea what she was up against. It wasn't as though she was looking forward to hearing the details of Baal's affairs any more than he was looking forward to dragging them into the open, but it was an unpleasant necessity.

"There were three," he began, "and I told you a little bit about one of them already."

Saiya struggled to remember when that might have occurred. "The girl whose brother was a Hunter?" she guessed.

Baal nodded. "Rejina. You know the outcome of that story, but I never mentioned that we were physically intimate. My … first time."

"Was it good?" Saiya blurted out. She flushed red immediately with shame; such a question was far out of line.

Baal grimaced. "We were kids. I was sixteen at the time, she was fifteen. So no, it wasn't the best sex I've ever had. But it was special anyway. I thought I loved her."

"But she left you," Saiya murmured.

"I frightened her away." He raked a hand through his hair. "She didn't like my dark side, the violence I was capable of. She was afraid that I would turn it against her someday. She couldn't bring herself to _trust _me." He laughed at the bitter irony of it. Saiya said nothing, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"The next woman I slept with was named Marion," he said eventually. "She was older than I by a decent margin, and had been married once already. Her husband died during an attack on their village by demons, and I was the Hunter dispatched to take care of it. I stayed there some months, working to make the area safe again, and during that time I stayed at her house. At first it was purely sexual, no feelings involved – I needed a release from the stress of putting my life on the line, day after day, for people I didn't know, and she … she was lonely, I suppose. It was great for a while. No drama, no arguments, just pure pleasure."

"What happened?" Saiya asked, when he fell silent.

Baal sighed. "I started to believe, foolishly I admit, that there could be something more between us. It wasn't Marion's fault, really. We just never bothered to set boundaries. 'Fucking only, no feelings', that sort of thing. In my own mind, I had made a commitment to her, and I expected the same loyalty in return. She felt differently, and I found that out in a way that neither of us would have preferred." He sighed again. "I got a letter from her, actually, not too long ago. Apologizing, I think, for hurting me. She wrote to say that she'd gotten remarried and was very happy, but would always remember our time together fondly, and that she hoped I was taking care of myself. It was kind of sweet, especially considering the scene I made when I took my leave of her. I wasn't exactly kind."

There was a long moment of silence. Saiya's mind wandered, imagining against her will what the two women might have looked like. Rejina came out pale and blonde, as delicate as a spider's web, with large eyes and trembling hands. And she pictured Marion as a red-headed seductress, not unlike Sasha.

"And the third?" she prompted after a few minutes had gone by.

"The third," Baal repeated softly. There was defeat in his voice, a sort of weary acceptance of fate, and an undercurrent that sounded strangely like _fear_. Saiya frowned, knowing instinctively that something about this one was different.

The Hunter reached up to run his fingers through his hair again, and then lowered them. His hands were shaking, though he clenched them tightly to disguise it.

"Are you alright?" Saiya asked, beginning to feel concerned. "We don't have to talk about this anymore, if it's too much for you."

"No," said Baal. "No, you're right, it's time. I should have … I should have told you this long ago. It was a mistake to keep it a secret."

Concern rapidly turned to alarm. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

He met her eyes, and she was shocked by the distress on his handsome features. "I don't know how you're going to react to this," he admitted. "I wish to the gods that I had something else to tell you, but I refuse to lie any-" He swallowed hard. "Any more than I already have," he finished.

"What do you mean?" Saiya said blankly. "I don't understand."

Baal took a deep breath and said, "I told you I had no friends among the Hunters, but that wasn't quite true. There's a woman that I am intimate with. I'm honestly not sure if it could be called a 'relationship' or not. We see each other so infrequently. I'm sorry, Saiya. I meant to tell you, truly, but it never seemed like the right time."

_He said 'I am', _she thought. _Not 'I was'. He's still with her. _She was surprised to feel an actual ache deep in her chest, as if her very heart was cracking. Fool that she was, she had never imagined that his reason for keeping his distance was that he had already pledged himself to another.

_Not mine … _

She felt dirty and used, but also, horribly, as if she had been using him. After all, without her insistence, Baal would never have been tempted into infidelity. She had caused this, had stolen him without even knowing it. The thought made her sick.

"I wish I had known," she said hollowly. "It would have changed everything."

"That's exactly why I was hesitant," he said. "Look, Saiya – I know what you think right now, but it's not that simple. Vera and I … there's no love between us. In fact, most of the time I think we hate each other. It's an outlet, in a way. By hating each other we don't have to hate anyone else." He took her hand, and she allowed him to, and despised herself for it. "You couldn't possibly understand, _nuur il-'en_, you who are so pure and innocent. When people are filled with darkness, they need a way to release it or it will consume them. But with Vera it's like cutting your arm off to make your leg stop hurting."

Saiya frowned. "She causes you pain?"

Baal's lips twisted upwards in a ghastly attempt at a smile. "She excels at that. Most of the time it's psychological – she loves to remind me of the day my - of the worst day of my life. But sometimes it's physical too. I have a scar on my inner thigh from one of our … encounters. She was … well … and when I finished she plunged a knife into my leg. I refused to see her for a while after that, but I couldn't keep her away forever. I needed her too, I guess. When she hurt me, and let me hurt her in return, the hatred wasn't quite so strong."

Saiya was horrified, both at his descriptions and at the calm, unbothered expression on his face. She knew, of course, that relationships could turn abusive. But to hear him say it so matter-of-factly, as though there was nothing _wrong _with it, shook her to the very core. She pulled her hand away.

"I'd like you to know," Baal said, "that even if you want nothing more to do with me, I'm done with Vera. I could never go back to _that _after seeing what love is really like. Your light banished the darkness more thoroughly than her cruel words ever could. So … I'm grateful, Saiya. Always."

He rose to his feet and jumped down from the rock, striding off towards their campsite. As Saiya watched him go, she realized that he thought she was rejecting him. And then, with a little jolt of uncertainty: _am I? _

It was not an easy thing to contemplate, especially after the incredible moment they had shared before the lacuni had attacked. Saiya could still feel traces of the fire that his ministrations had kindled in her belly; there was no doubt in her mind that she was still attracted to Baal – very much so. And in truth, despite the shock of his revelation, her feelings for him were not changed. He was still the same man she had fallen hopelessly in love with.

The issue, she decided, was not whether she still _wanted _to be with him, but whether is was the conscionable thing to do. _If I were Vera, _she thought, _how would I feel, losing my lover to another woman in a foreign land, with no chance to try and win him back? _It was complicated, of course, by the fact that Saiya herself was hardly an unbiased party. She did not approve of Baal's relationship with a woman who could hurt him so badly, and whom he felt justified in hurting in return, but was stealing him away really for his own good, or was she acting in self-interest?

She rubbed her eyes tiredly, wishing that she could ask one of her friends for advice, but the only person she would really have felt comfortable discussing the situation with was Ghor, and the _sangoma _was back in Caldeum.

"Looks like I have to figure this one out myself," she muttered. Closing her eyes, she sank into meditation – the best state for problem-solving, she felt – and allowed her subconscious to work away while her mind rested.

A hand ruffled her hair, jerking her back to reality. Her body was stiff, joints locked in place, and she groaned at the ache as she tried to stretch out her limbs. _How long have I been sitting here, motionless? _

"Falling asleep on duty, eh, _Schwesterchen_?" Kormac asked lightly. "You should have woken me sooner if you were so tired."

"I was meditating," she replied. "It's different. I'm still aware of what's going on around me."

"Like me coming up behind you?" asked the Templar. When Saiya frowned at him, he said, "Alright, little sister, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I just think it's wise to stay alert in this place, especially since we've had one battle already tonight."

"Nothing short of Maghda herself could get through my shielding mantra anyway," Saiya grumbled. She wasn't sure why she felt so argumentative, but fortunately Kormac did not press the issue.

"Why don't you go get some rest," he suggested. "You look exhausted."

Saiya nodded and started towards camp, only to turn back. "Kormac?"

"_Ja?" _

"If you knew someone you loved was making a mistake – doing something wrong – would it be wrong of _you _not to do something about it?"

He considered the question carefully, as she had known he would. "I would say, _Schwesterchen_, that it depends upon how serious the mistake is, and how much it's going to affect the relationship. But there is only so much you can do about another person's mistakes before you have to step back and let them live their life as they choose. Does that help?"

"I think so." She put an affectionate hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Kormac."

"Glad to be of assistance," he replied.

Her bedroll was empty when she reached the camp; Baal, who should have been occupying it, was nowhere to be seen. But his pack remained, stacked casually next to hers, so she was not concerned. By now, she was accustomed to his spontaneous disappearances, and suspected that they were his way of coping with difficult emotions, much like her meditations.

Saiya fell asleep easily, but her dreams were restless and disturbed.

_She walked down a maze of stone streets in which every corner looked the same, and all of the houses had the lights on and the doors open, but she could not enter. She saw Caesar framed in the window of one and called up to him, "Let me in, please! It's cold out here!" But the wizard shook his head, smiling. _

"_You threw away the key," he said. "You can never enter now." _

_She kept going, passing by more people that she recognized. Captain Rumford was there, fighting for his life inside the Wortham Chapel. Saiya ran to the empty doorway and tried desperately to force her was inside and save him, but an invisible wall held her back. She watched helplessly as the demons swarmed over him and retreated to leave his corpse staring sightlessly at the ceiling. _

_But worst of all was the house in which Baal lay entwined with a woman whose long dark hair covered her face and spilled down over his chest in ebony waves. She was moving atop him, and his head was thrown back, but his expression was one of agony rather than pleasure. Saiya stood frozen as the woman took out a knife and placed it against the Hunter's exposed throat. _

"_Tell me not to do it," she said, looking at the man beneath her, but speaking somehow to Saiya, alone outside. _

"_Tell me not to do it," she repeated, beginning to apply pressure. A line of crimson trickled onto the white pillow. _

"_Tell me not to do it!" the woman screamed. Saiya tried to speak, but the words had no sound. _

_The knife slashed across Baal's throat–_

Saiya woke to the sound of her own scream ringing in her ears. Her eyes flew open, staring blankly into the infinite blue void of the sky overhead. _Just a dream. He's alright, it was just a dream. Not real. _

A face framed by blond hair appeared in her field of vision. "Are you okay?" Eirena asked concernedly. "You were thrashing around and crying out in your sleep. I was about to wake you up."

"I'm fine," Saiya rasped, though it was far from the truth. Her mouth felt as dry and gritty as if she had been eating sand. "Could you hand me the water, please?"

Eirena pressed a flask into her hand. Sitting up, she put it to her lips and tilted, gulping the lukewarm water.

"Easy there," said Baal's voice off to her left. "You'll make yourself sick if you drink too much at once."

Saiya gasped, and the mouthful she was in the midst of swallowing went right into her lungs instead. She choked, coughing wildly at her chest and throat stung. Eirena thumped her on the back.

"See what I mean?" Baal chuckled.

She glared at him, annoyed that he was teasing her when she was obviously in distress. The Hunter shrugged and went back to the pot of porridge he was stirring. He added in a handful of chopped-up dates and almonds, and a dash of reddish powder called _cinnamon_.

"Food's ready!" he called. "Come and get it!"

Kormac wandered up from the bushes south of their camp, where he had apparently been shaving, and Najmah, who had been on watch, came over from the rock outcropping.

"Smells wonderful," he said appreciatively.

"I know a few tricks with the spices they have here," Baal replied, winking. He began to dish out bowls of his concoction.

"Good morning, Kormac," Eirena murmured, passing by the Templar on her way to get her food. She stopped for a moment and reached up to touch the side of his jaw. "You missed a patch."

He turned red beneath his tan. "Ah. Um, thank you. Good morning. How did, uh, how did you sleep?"

"Wonderfully!" she answered, with a bright smile. "And yourself?"

"Very … very well."

"Good." She accepted her portion of breakfast from Baal with a gracious nod and sat down to eat it. Saiya dragged herself out of bed, leaving the blankets in a tangled mess, and stumbled sleepily across the sand to the campfire. Baal handed her a bowl without looking at her, although his fingers did brush hers for a brief moment. It felt like an electric shock.

"So what's the plan for today?" asked Eirena.

"We hunt down those damn cultists Jarulf told us about," said Baal, scraping the bottom of the pot for his own meal. "What did he say? 'One to the east, one to the west'? Should be a piece of cake."

Eirena looked puzzled. "You have cake?"

"No, it's an expression. Means 'should be easy'."

"Oh. I like that." She grinned. "I like cake, too. Especially chocolate."

"I'm glad someone agrees with me on the superiority of chocolate cake," said Baal.

Saiya concentrated on her porridge, trying to ignore the ridiculous jealousy that rose in her at the sound of their easy banter. _Calm down, _she scolded herself. _It's not like they're flirting with each other in front of you. Baal's just being friendly. That's exactly what I've been trying to get him to do all along. _

Still, it rankled; all the more so because of the current awkwardness between her and the Hunter.

"Something wrong with your food?" Baal asked. Saiya glanced up to see him watching her closely. "You've hardly touched it."

"Not too hungry," she mumbled.

"Well, eat anyway. You need your strength. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day." He turned back to Eirena.

After breakfast, Saiya used a few handfuls of sand to clean the dishes while the others packed up camp and obliterated any trace of their presence. Within half an hour, they were ready to head out.

The road continued to the north, towards a rising mass of land on the horizon that the map identified as the Howling Plateau. When they reached it, Saiya saw instantly why it had earned that moniker. Brutal winds swept almost continuously over the surface, scouring even the sand from the bare rock beneath. Before venturing into the gale, the Hunter instructed them all to wrap their _hijabs_ around their faces to protect from flying particles in the air. He himself was forced to remove his cloak so it wouldn't be blown away.

It was not only the humans who had difficulty with the harsh environment. Gawahir found his favorite perch on Baal's shoulder nearly impossible to keep, and several times was knocked off completely by a violent gust. Eventually he took refuge against Najmah's solid chest, beneath his voluminous tunic, though the bird made his displeasure with this arrangement clear by his constant sullen mutterings.

Conversation was difficult on account of the wind, and each of the adventurers was left to their own thoughts as they trudged along in single file, following Baal's black-clad form. In Saiya's case, those thoughts revolved around the disturbing implications of her last conversation with Baal, and what, if anything, she ought to do about it. Meditation and a night's rest had not helped her make up her mind.

They had been walking for an hour or so when Eirena suddenly stopped in her tracks, staring intently at the ground.

"A large number of people have passed this way recently," she said. "The magical imprint is quite strong. They had demons with them."

"The cultists?" asked Baal, and the enchantress nodded.

"I believe so. If we follow this path, it should guide us right to their hideout."

"Everyone arm up and get ready for a fight," he ordered. "Eirena, lead the way."

The hidden trail veered right, skirting a ridge of black stone that jutted like a row of molars from the earth. It ended at a broken-down wall, a once proud bulwark of ancient times. Eirena informed them that such defensible outposts were once invaluable in holding back the lacuni, ages ago when the cat-like tribes were much more aggressive and numerous.

There was a locked door in the guardroom, presumably leading to the cellar. Baal tested the knob, muttered something about _'the one situation in which we could use that damn mage'_, and looked to Kormac.

"Can you get it open?" he asked.

The Templar gave it an experimental push and shook his head doubtfully. "It seems pretty sturdy, Brother. Is there anything around here we could use as a ram?"

"Let me try," Saiya said, pushing her way forward from the back of the group.

"Is this really a good time to use the bell?" Baal inquired.

"I'm not using the bell." Closing her eyes, she assumed the "Charging Bull" stance: right foot forward, head turned to the side, shoulder lowered to prepare for impact. She began to recite the mantra that would focus all her power in the front of her body – a living juggernaut. When the building energy peaked, she flung herself bodily at the wooden barrier and felt it splinter beneath her momentum. A hand grabbed her arm before she could tumble down the stairs that were immediately on the other side.

"Nicely done," said Baal, and Saiya felt her heart throb a little at the compliment.

"Thanks for catching me," she replied, with a bashful smile. His hand tightened on her wrist, and for a moment things felt almost normal. The illusion was quickly shattered when he released her and pulled out his crossbows, stepping past her to descend into the gloom. Saiya followed him, with the others close behind her.

The first thing she noticed were the candles. There must have been hundreds, stacked on every available surface, tiny flames flickering in the air stirred by their intrusion. A circle of them was arranged on the floor, and within it, a strange image painted in blood. It looked like a sun, with many undulating rays extending outwards, but the interior resembled the iris and pupil of a staring eye.

As they entered the small, confined cellar, Gawahir (who had returned to his preferred spot as soon as they were out of the wind) went wild, flapping his wings and cawing loudly. Baal winced as the raven's talons dug into his shoulder, but he raised his weapons anyway, sweeping the area.

"They're here," he warned.

"But the rooms looks empty," said Kormac. "There's no place to hide."

"Wait," grunted Eirena, setting the butt of her staff against the ground. "There is an illusion here; I will dispel it."

That proved unnecessary, however, for as soon as she had spoken, the shadows rippled and split apart like cloth tearing, revealing a group of seven cultists, accompanied by the foul smell of rotting flesh. Saiya coughed and covered her nose with one hand, eyes watering. But she had no time to ask Baal for his vial of rose scent, for the battle was joined.

Rolling forward to avoid a blast of life-draining magic, the young monk intercepted a robed man who'd been heading for Najmah with dagger in hand. A swift knee to the stomach bent him double. She seized his hood and yanked his head back, smashing her fist into his face twice for good measure. He crumpled, and she moved on to a woman who had opened a nasty-looking portal in the floor and was trying to raise something spiky out of it. Saiya broke her neck; the portal closed.

She looked around for another target, but all the cultists were down. Three were marked with black-feathered bolts, one had been beaten into submission by Eirena's staff, and Kormac was struggling to extricate his spear from the ribcage of the last.

"Anyone hurt?" Saiya asked, cleaning the gore from her brass knuckles.

"I'm fine," said Baal.

"So am I," Eirena added, and wrinkled her delicate nose. "_Ugh, _what's that smell?"

Najmah was inspecting something in the corner. He drew back with a sharp gasp, turning to block the sight from the rest of the group. "I believe it comes from this," he said indistinctly.

"What-" Saiya began, stepping forward, but the giant shook his head.

"You do not want to see, little one. A victim of the Coven, that is all."

"They must have needed quite a bit of blood to draw this," Baal said darkly, kicking a spray of dirt over the ritual circle.

"Let us get out of here," Kormac blurted out. He was looking a little pale. "Our work is done, and the atmosphere is making me dizzy."

No one had any objections to that plan, and they all breathed a deep sigh of relief to be out in the open again. Before they departed to search for the second hideout, Baal insisted on setting some explosive charges in the cellar door to cave in the entrance.

"Let it be a grave to the poor souls who were murdered here," he said, surveying the rubble with a grim eye. "No one will ever use this place for evil purposes again."

They retraced their steps to the main road, which they continued to follow northward. Around midday they stopped for lunch in the lee of a sheltering rock, taking comfort in the respite while they ate. Afterwards, Baal encouraged them all to drink some water, despite the fact that their reserves were running low.

"Does this wind ever let up?" Saiya grumbled as they prepared to move out again. "I'm beginning to tire of getting sand blown into my eyes."

"It may change directions from time to time," said Baal, "but it never ceases. Something to do with the geography of this area. It traps and funnels breezes right across the surface."

"We're going to have a good time setting up camp tonight," Kormac remarked glumly. "If we can get a fire going at all, it will be a miracle. Do you think we'll find another guard post?"

"If we do," said Saiya, "it will likely be as infested with cultists as the last one was. I can't imagine anyone else wanting to be out here."

But they had found no sign of a human presence, Coven or otherwise, by the time that dusk was darkening the sky. There was no second trail – nothing whatsoever to indicate that anyone else was alive out on the vast span of desert.

"Maybe Jarulf was wrong?" Eirena shouted over the roar of the wind, which had only worsened as the sun set.

"Iron Wolves don't half-ass on their assignments," Baal yelled back. "If their scouts say two groups, then I believe it. The others must just be hidden better. Either way, we can't look for them in the dark. We'll have to find some place to stay the night."

"What about that?" bellowed Kormac, pointing off to the left. A large spire of rock, worn thin by years of weathering the constant storm, pointed to the sky like an accusing finger. At its base was a narrow overhang, barely tall enough for a grown man to fit beneath. The shadows there were suspiciously dense, even for the time of day.

"Worth a try," said Baal, and they stumbled over to it on weary legs. Upon further examination, the shadowed spot proved to be the opening to a cave, which delved deeper than they cared to explore into the bedrock of the plateau.

"At least we'd be out of the wind here," Saiya said. Her voice returned as a hollow echo, mocking her with its weariness.

Eirena looked around warily. "It's risky, though. We don't know who – or _what _– else has decided to make a home here."

"Can you smell anything?" Kormac asked the Hunter. He sniffed the air a few times and shrugged.

"Hard to say, really. No demons, that's for sure. There's something else, but it's indistinct. Old traces, maybe." He slipped off his pack and dropped it on the cavern floor. "Regardless of the potential danger, I don't think we have a choice. There's no time to find another spot before it really gets dark. I'll just take a look around while you all are setting up, to make sure that we aren't unwelcome guests."

An offer to join him was on the tip of Saiya's tongue, but she didn't voice it. She wasn't ready yet for the conversation she knew was inevitable the next time they were alone together. Instead, she busied herself with laying out her bedroll. Baal didn't even glance at her as he strode off into the darkness at the other end of the cave, a torch in one hand and his favorite crossbow in the other, and Gawahir riding proudly on his shoulder.

Fortunately for the adventurers, a few bushes and some dry grass had sprouted up just outside the entrance, providing them with enough fuel for a modest fire. Saiya was heartily glad; a hot meal was infinitely preferable to a cold one, especially at the end of a long day. She was just debating if they had enough extra water to make soup when a strange sound filled the air: a soft scraping noise, like someone dragging leather over rock.

"What's that?" she murmured. Kormac shook his head, equally puzzled, and dumped another armload of kindling beside her.

"Perhaps the wind-" he began.

Then came a sound that could not be mistaken – a short, sharp, entirely human yelp of astonishment and fright. Moments later, the quiet exploded with Gawahir's panicked cries.

"Baal!" Saiya gasped, and was on her feet in an instant, running towards the place where the noise had come. Kormac grabbed the lantern and pursued her, with the other two hot on his heels.

Coming around the corner, the young monk stopped dead at the sight of the raven, hopping frantically around the edge of a perfectly circular hole in the ground. Baal, on the other hand, had vanished without a trace.

* * *

><p><em><strong>* Kormac said, "Yes, thank you, I would like another sweetroll."<strong> **And a big thank you, as always, to the marvelous Chrissyleena for her translating services! Without her, you would get German gibberish. :)**  
><em>


	4. 4 - The Khasim Outpost

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart**_

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><p><em>"You've got a new horizon, it's ephemeral style<em>  
><em>A melancholy town where we never smile."<em>  
><em>- Gorillaz<em>  
><em>"Feel Good Inc."<em>

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><p>Chapter Four: The Khasim Outpost<p>

"Ytar have mercy," whispered Saiya, falling to her knees beside the vertical shaft. She could see no further than twenty feet down, but there was no sight of the bottom. If he had fallen that far …

"Baal?" she called. "Can you hear me?"

Only Gawahir's squawking broke the heavy silence.

"I believe he's got a length of rope in his pack," said Kormac. "I will fetch it."

Waiting for him to return, Saiya clenched her hands until her fingernails dug into her palms, using the mild pain to stave off visions of the Hunter lying broken and bleeding at the bottom of the pit, too weak to call out for help. She felt partially responsible. If she had gone with him as she had originally thought to, this might not have happened.

"Is the ground shaking?" Eirena said suddenly.

It was, imperceptibly at first, but the tremors were growing stronger by the second. They were accompanied by the same soft slithering sound that Saiya had heard before, immediately prior to Baal's cry.

Something was moving around in the shadows down below. Saiya leaned over, straining to catch a glimpse of it, but Najmah's huge arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her into the air; not a moment too soon, for out of the hole reared a creature belonging to the darkest of nightmares. It brought to mind terrifying tales of the sea serpent, only this monstrosity bored through solid rock as though it _was _water. It had no visible eyes – in the bowels of the earth it had no need of them – and the skin was a sickly grey in color, and tough as steel. The face (if it could be called that) was the most frightening of all: it had upper and lower jaws, as well as mandibles that opened on either side, creating a four-sided gaping maw lined with dagger-like teeth.

As the adventurers were recovering from their shock and debating whether to fight or flee, the creature made an odd jerking motion, and its throat bulged. A moment later it violently spat out a dark shape that thrashed as it soared through the air, landing hard and skidding across the floor.

"Baal!" Saiya screamed, struggling to free herself from Najmah's grasp. He set her carefully down. As soon as her feet touched the floor she ran to her lover's side. He was trying to sit up, shaking his head dazedly. Other than a few shallow cuts and a foul-smelling slime clinging to his clothes and hair, he seemed unharmed.

"_Was zur Hölle?" _exclaimed Kormac, who had just reappeared with a coil of rope slung over his shoulder.

"Kormac, get your spear!" shouted Eirena. The monster lunged at her, and she lifted her hand to raise a glittering golden wall of magic. It stymied the creature momentarily, but Saiya could tell that it would not last for long. She stood up, leaving Baal where he lay, and ran back to help the enchantress. With her mantra supplementing the strength of Eirena's spell, they were safe until Kormac once again came charging down the passageway, panting from the exertion. He was built for endurance, not speed.

"Stand back," he warned, and thrust his spear into the beast's great maw with all his might. The serpent let out a piercing shriek that made Saiya's eardrums ache. A single blow was not enough to slay it, so Kormac tugged his weapon free and stabbed it again, this time angling the haft upwards to the point drove through the roof of the mouth and into the brain. The creature flopped onto its side, shaking the entire cavern with its death throes. Sand and small pebbles dislodged from the ceiling rained down on Saiya's head. She coughed loudly.

"What _is _that thing?" she asked, staring down at the enormous carcass, the lower part of which was still buried in the ground.

"Rockworm," rasped Baal. He had gotten to his feet, limping a little, and was ineffectively trying to scrape some of the viscous gunk from his attire. "I should have known as soon as I saw that hole," he said. "That's a classic sign of 'worms. If you jumped down there, you'd find a whole network of tunnels."

"Are there more of them?" Kormac asked, glancing around as if he expected a whole slew of the monsters to come bursting out of the stone.

"I shouldn't think so," the Hunter replied. "They're usually solitary hunters, and aggressive towards their own kind. If this one was female, there might be eggs nearby, but unless they hatch we won't have to worry about becoming 'worm bait."

"I'll check around just in case," said Kormac. "I don't want any more surprises."

Eirena volunteered to accompany him, in case Baal's guess was wrong. They took the lantern and ventured deeper into the cave, while Saiya, Baal, and Najmah returned to the entrance. After some deliberation, Saiya decided to forgo soup and cook a stirfry of goat meat and vegetables instead. Najmah helpfully chopped up the ingredients while she heated the pan and tasted various different seasonings until she had settled on the right combination.

Baal, meanwhile, stepped outside to change out of his befouled clothing, dress the cuts that had been inflicted by the rockworm's teeth, and clean himself as best he could with a damp rag. His shirt and pants were a lost cause, and he was forced to borrow a outfit from Kormac that was much too broad across the shoulders and loose around the waist. His leather vest, belt, and boots were all salvageable, though he stashed them outside with a rock to weigh them down so that the stench would not be overwhelming. At least his cloak had been spared, since he had left it with his pack.

Unfortunately, without a decent source of water he was unable to properly wash his hair, and as a result it dried into a spiky mass that was extremely comical in appearance. Saiya could not look at him without starting to laugh, which made him sullen. He spent the rest of the evening sitting in the corner, thoroughly cleaning the rockworm spittle and sand from every crevice of his crossbows.

Saiya wanted to talk with him, to apologize for her part in their latest disagreement, and reassure him that she had no intentions of ending their relationship, but they had no privacy inside the cave, and outside the winds were too intense for any decent conversation. She spent her watch (the middle one, between Najmah and Eirena) observing him as he twitched and groaned in his sleep, and wondering if he was dreaming of her.

Dawn came early, though the west-facing cave did not receive any of its crimson light. Saiya was the first to rise, woken abruptly and unpleasantly by a beetle scurrying over her face. She ventured outside to stretch her stiff muscles and winced as the wind sharpened its claws on her exposed skin.

"_Günaydin," _said a voice behind her. Turning, she saw Baal leaning up against the sandstone pillar, rolling up the cuffs of his borrowed shirt. "It means 'good morning'," he clarified when Saiya gave him an inquisitive look.

"Oh. _Guh … _um_, goona …_"

"_Günaydin," _he repeated patiently. She got it right the second time, earning a smile of acknowledgement.

She said, "Are you all right? After yesterday, I mean? That must have been frightening."

Baal shrugged. "Initially it was somewhat of a surprise, yes. But you forget that I grew up in this land, where such hazards are simply part of everyday life. If you get swallowed by a 'worm, poke it in the back of the throat with something pointy. If you're unarmed, put out your arms and legs and try to make yourself stick in its gullet. Even 'worms can choke on a stubborn morsel."

"I'll try to remember that," Saiya said. "So listen, Baal, I … there's something I, ah, want to say to you."

"Yeah? What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "I've done a lot of thinking since we talked the other night, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't want our relationship to end."

"Really?" he said. "Even after I lied to you?"

"You didn't lie," Saiya replied, her voice firm. "You told me that you had no friends in the Hunters. Well, I don't consider someone who would stab you in the leg during an intimate moment to be a friend. As for the fact that you have had other lovers, you never kept that a secret."

Baal blinked at her for a moment, then abruptly stepped forward and folded her into a tight embrace. Saiya hugged him back, politely trying not to cough at the smell of rockworm that still surrounded him.

"_Nuur il-'en,_" he murmured into her hair. "You are by far the most incredible person I have ever met. I'm not sure I could be so forgiving."

"I do have one request," Saiya said, pulling away from him enough so she could look up into his face. "Please get it out of your head that I'm going to run off with Caesar. I understand now why you would be concerned about that, but it's not going to happen, so let it go. Okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, immediately adding, "I still hate the mage, though. For unrelated reasons."

"Whatever," Saiya groaned. Baal leaned in to kiss her, altered his trajectory when she wrinkled her nose, and pressed his lips to her forehead instead. She leaned against him, comforted by the familiar weight of his arms, until a particularly strong gust of wind knocked them off balance and they stumbled, sprawling in an ungainly heap on the sand.

"_Ach, um Himmels Willen. Nehmt euch bitte ein Zimmer!" _exclaimed an amused voice from above. Saiya looked up to see Kormac standing over them with his arms crossed and his mouth curled into a smirk. She had no idea what he had said, but from his tone, she gathered that it was suggestive. Embarrassed, she scrambled off of Baal and got to her feet, glaring at him. The Templar winked.

"Breakfast is ready," he said, and went back inside the cave.

"Shall we?" said Baal, gesturing for Saiya to go first. Eirena had demonstrated her dedication to being part of the group by taking her turn to cook. The fare was porridge again, primarily because it was the one ration that they had plenty of.

"We'll need to find clean water today," Baal remarked, inspecting their supplies after the meal.

"Will we be able to?" Saiya asked worriedly, her mind filling with visions of their dehydrated corpses lined up by the roadside.

"Oh, sure," he said, with a confident smile. "The best place to look would be a settlement. In fact, according to the map, there's a town called Yol Kenarina only a few miles away. If we head northwest from here, we should reach it by midday."

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><p>As it turned out, 'town' was an extremely generous word for the cluster of burnt-out buildings marked by a sign in Kehjistani. The few inhabitants had long-since fled. There was a well, however, true to Baal's prediction. While the Hunter was refilling their flasks, the others meandered between the houses. Saiya found a child's doll half-buried in the sand; she unearthed it and dusted it off, running her fingers over the uneven stitches that held the cloth toy together. She couldn't help but wonder about its original owner. Where was she now? And why had she discarded what had been, judging by the wear on it, a prized possession?<p>

Looking around, she noticed Eirena standing in front of the only intact structure with a puzzled frown on her face. Saiya walked over to stand next to her and put a companionable hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You look like something's bothering you."

"There's a magical signature here," said the enchantress, "very similar to the one that we followed yesterday to reach the cultists' hideout."

They exchanged a glance, and each saw her suspicions confirmed in the other's eyes. Saiya yelled, "Guys, come over here, we found something!"

Najmah was the first to respond, with Kormac and Baal following soon after. Eirena explained her conviction that they had unwittingly stumbled upon the Coven's second base of operations.

"Great!" said Baal. "That'll save us some time." He flashed his canines in a fierce grin. "Should we bother knocking?"

"Nah," replied Eirena, beaming back at him. "Let's just break and enter."

Drawing his crossbows, the Hunter promptly kicked the door open. The interior of the house was dark, the windows having been covered over by black cloth, but as before a substantial number of lit candles provided enough light to see by. This time, the cultists were not hidden; in fact, they appeared to be in the middle of performing a ritual. Four of them were focusing beams of life-draining magic on a woman lying on the altar, while the other six chanted and rhythmically struck the floor with their staffs.

"It's them!" cried one of the hooded figures. "The two Nephalem and their bodyguards. In Belial's name, kill them!" A moment later, Baal's arrow found his open mouth, silencing him forever.

A tall Kehjistani man with a grey beard pulled a scimitar from his belt and took a swing at Saiya, missing her by mere inches. She grabbed his wrist, twisting sharply, and kicked him in the chest. He fell into a group of candles, which set his robes aflame. She ignored his screams of agony and looked around for her next target.

"Saiya, get down!" Kormac shouted. She crouched just as his spear sailed over her head, impaling a cultist who had been about to blast her. There was another close behind him, coming toward her with a mace raised high, and Saiya wrenched the spear free and decapitated him with a powerful slash.

The fight was over almost before it had begun. Baal ran to the altar to check on the prisoner, leaping over bodies on his way. Najmah checked for any survivors among the Coven, and Saiya cleaned the blood off of Kormac's weapon before handing it back to him. Somewhere deep inside, a small part of her brain was disturbed by the ease with which she had ended human lives, regardless of how evilly they had been led. Had it always been this effortless, she wondered, or was she becoming desensitized to the violence? Distantly, she recalled the first man she had ever killed, a soldier-turned-bandit who had tried to waylay her on the road and divest her of what little she owned. She refused to cooperate, and when he pulled a knife, she hit him in the face as hard as she could. He had died instantly. Saiya hadn't intended for that to happen; she had simply been trying to defend herself. It had taken her a while to get over the fact that she (both literally and figuratively) had his blood on her hands.

"You okay, _Schwesterchen?_" asked Kormac, shooting a questioning glance in her direction.

Saiya nodded and attempted a smile. It came out crooked. "Yeah. Just … wondering when this became _normal_, I guess."

"For me, it still isn't," he said. "I think that the day it is will be the day that I lay down my arms and dedicate myself to a life of peace."

"This woman's still alive!" Baal said suddenly, drawing their attention. He gathered her up in his arms as tenderly as if she was a newborn child. Dried blood crusted her brow, and Saiya could see from the outline of her legs beneath her dress that one of them had been amputated at the knee.

"She's in bad condition," the Hunter continued. "If we can get her to the Khasim Outpost, she may yet live, but we must be swift. Najmah, will you walk in front of me to shield us from the wind?"

"Of course," said the giant. He led the way out of the house, picking up Baal's pack as well as his own.

"Hang on a minute!" Saiya called out, as they started to set off. "We shouldn't leave this place standing. Others might use it for the same purpose."

"We don't have time for that right now," Baal retorted.

"I can level it in two seconds flat with the bell," she said. Baal opened his mouth to argue, then appeared to think better of it.

"Two seconds, then," he said.

Saiya closed her eyes. She had suspected for a while that she was capable of summoning the bell even when her life was not threatened; the problem was triggering the power to activate. To aid the process, she resurrected in her mind the most painful memory of her life thus far: the moment in the Halls of Agony when she had felt for Baal's pulse and found nothing, and knew she had lost him. She pressed the memory to her breast like a sword driven though her heart, forcing herself to relive every detail – the searing heat of the flames, the acrid smoke, the red glow of heated metal through the darkness, the pain-

_Clang! _A wave of force rolled out of her, causing the earth to tremble. Opening her eyes, she saw a deep gouge in the sand where the bell's energy had passed, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The building had been obliterated.

"You're getting better," Baal observed as they departed the shadow of Yol Kenarina. He shifted his grip on the unconscious woman to better support her head. Saiya, walking beside him, looked up at his face and saw blatant admiration in his eyes.

"Thanks," she said. "Is she heavy? I can switch off with you if you need a break."

He shook his head. "I barely feel the burden. I'm afraid that she'd been starved for quite some time."

They pressed on for a while in silence. Najmah led the way, his large form providing an excellent windbreak, and Kormac and Eirena followed in the rear. Saiya could hear traces of their murmured conversation, and every now and then the enchantress would laugh. The two of them seemed to get on well at least, which was a blessing, considering that Kormac had difficulties with several members of the group. He still was not quite comfortable around Ghor, though he no longer voiced objections to her voodoo arts, but as a result there was considerable animosity between him and Caesar. The mage, naturally inclined to favor women, was especially close to Ghor, and took any perceived threat to her very seriously. Saiya had always been curious about the source of their friendship; it could not be sexual, for the _sangoma _had a wife in her homeland. Though, she reflected, there was no rule of society stating that a man and a woman had to have some physical attraction to each other in order to be friends. She herself regarded Kormac as the brother she'd never had, and wouldn't dream of sleeping with him.

After a time, they came to a great crevasse in the surface of the plateau. There was a bridge spanning the gulf, but it was broken in the middle, the two separate ends stretching futilely out to each other. The gap was about ten feet or so – too far to jump.

"This is exactly what we didn't need!" Baal snarled, vindictively kicking the railing as if the structure itself was responsible for being ruined.

"We can still get across," said Saiya. "If you tie your rope to an arrow and fire it into the wood on the other side, one of us can make our way over and secure it. I volunteer."

"What about _her_?" the Hunter argued, indicating the woman he was carrying.

"The last person to go ties the rope around his waist, holds on to her, and jumps, and the people on the other side pull them both up."

They were interrupted by an alarmed yell from Kormac. Turning, Saiya gasped as she saw Eirena, who was standing on the very edge of the broken bridge, take a huge step out onto thin air-

-and float in place, her arms outstretched like the wings of a bird. They all gaped at her in astonishment for a moment.

Baal recovered first. Chuckling, he said, "Very good, Eirena. You had me worried there."

"H-how is she …" stammered Kormac. "What deception is this?"

"No deception," Eirena laughed. "Come and join me, Kormac. I promise you, it's perfectly safe."

The Templar vehemently shook his head. "I think, _Fräulein, _that my feet will stay firmly here on the ground, thank you."

"I get it," said Saiya. "The bridge is still there, isn't it. The cultists just made it invisible."

"Right you are!" Eirena twirled her staff, and gossamer strands of magic, nearly imperceptible in the harsh glare of the sun, solidified to reveal the missing section of the structure.

"A clever trick," muttered the Templar. "Next time you feel like showing off, would you please give me some warning? I thought my heart was going to stop."

"How did you know it was an illusion?" Baal asked the enchantress as they continued along their path.

"As I have demonstrated before, illusions have no power over me," she answered blithely. "I see through them easily."

"Yes, but how? Who taught you?" When she gave him a blank look, he sighed and said, "I'm not ignorant, Eirena. The kind of sorcery that you practice died out over a millennium ago. I've turned a blind eye to it so far because I think that you honestly want to help us, but I know very well that you're no ordinary woman."

For the first time since they had met her, Eirena looked apprehensive. "You are correct," she said. "I was reluctant to divulge my secret, because I didn't think that any of you would believe me. But I see now that it was wrong of me to keep you in the dark. The truth is that although I may look like I'm in my early twenties, I was in fact born fifteen hundred years ago. My sisters and I pledged our lives to the service of a man we called the Prophet, a great and learned sage who taught me everything I know. He foresaw a time of darkness that would threaten all of Sanctuary, and placed us – his students – in a magical slumber that was calculated to end only a few months ago, so that we could combat this evil. He also ordered us that when we awoke we were to seek out the Children of Men and Angels." Her too-old gaze swept from Baal to Saiya and back again. "I think I have found them."

A shiver went down Saiya's spine at the words, spoken with such conviction. To shift attention away from the Nephalem blood that she and Baal shared, she asked, "What about your sisters? Why are they not with you?"

The petite blonde stared at the ground, and for a moment her eyes misted over. "They are dead," she said softly. "They were murdered while I slept by an unknown assailant. I am the only one who survived."

"Oh gods, Eirena, I'm so sorry!" Saiya gasped, horrified. Kormac put a hand on the enchantress's shoulder in wordless comfort.

"The one who did it won't get away with his crime," Baal vowed between gritted teeth. "We'll hunt him down and end his wretched life. Or hers, as the case may be. It sounds like something Maghda would do, actually."

Eirena blinked, a surprised smile growing on her lovely countenance. "Thank you," she said. "I did not expect any of you to be so supportive." Her expression turned determined. "We should continue; the Outpost is a long ways off yet. If we hurry, we may make it by nightfall."

"I fear that it will be too late for her," said Baal, glancing down at the woman in his arms with regret. "She's fading fast. If Ghor were here, perhaps something could be done, but …" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Mercifully, the wind was less intense on the other side of the bridge. Now that her secret was out, Eirena talked enthusiastically about the ancient world that she had come from, telling stories of her early childhood. She had been born during the height of the Mage Clan Wars, and – along with fifteen other young girls – were indentured to sorcerers of the Vizjerei clan. Driven by natural curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, Eirena had 'borrowed' and read the clandestine spell books of the clan and inadvertently learned that her master planned to win the war by binding an army of demons. Aghast, the enchantress had incited her sisters to revolt, and they had turned the Vizjerei sorcerers' magic against them during a powerful summoning ritual. The backlash had nearly killed all of them, but they were saved by the mysterious Prophet, who took them under his wing. Such was Eirena's tale, but she told it in a way that placed emphasis not on the hardship on it, but on humorous and light-hearted details. Her companions learned of her sisters in between the lines of anecdotes about their failed attempts at magic, and the sad tale of the end of the Vizjerei clan unfolded around a lengthy regaling of how the plan to stop them had _almost _been foiled by an inquisitive goat. It was skilled storytelling, and it passed the time quite entertainingly.

After a while, Kormac took over carrying the wounded woman, to give Baal a rest. They skipped lunch, eating slices of bread and some fruit while they walked. The landscape was changing subtly around them, hard barren ground being replaced by sandy dunes, where tenacious plants flourished. For a land so inhospitable, there was an abundance of life if one only knew the right place to look. Saiya saw snakes and scorpions, scarab beetles and hawks. Once Baal crouched down and came back up again with a tiny white flower pinched between his fingers. Smiling, he tucked it behind Saiya's ear.

"It's called _sehra ümid_," he informed her. "Desert Hope."

Saiya kept it long past the time when it had wilted.

The sun was slipping towards the horizon by the time they finally reached the hill where the Khasim Outpost stood proud, overlooking the area. It was a small fortress of sandstone and weathered wood, build partially into the black bedrock of the plateau. As the little group made their way up the wooden steps to the front gate, the guard on duty hailed them.

"_Niye gelmisik, seyyahlar?" _he asked gruffly. There was a strange undertone to his voice; sibilant, like the whisper of silk across skin.

"He's asking us why we've come here," Baal explained. Raising his voice, he answered, _"Biz gece sigin. Bize yerlesdirmek olacaq?" *_

The guard waved a hand, motioning them through the gate. Baal shrugged. "I guess that's a 'yes'," he said. "We can stay the night here, and press on to Alcarnus in the morning."

"Ask if they have a healer," said Kormac.

The Hunter nodded. _"Hekim burada var mi? Bu qadin cox xeste." _

"_Hec bir hekim," _replied the guard.

"That's strange," muttered Baal. "He said there's no healer here."

"Maybe he's away," Eirena suggested. "Tending the refugees, or something like that."

"Maybe. Shall we proceed?"

As they passed beneath the arch of the gate, Saiya noticed the guard who had admitted them whispering to a man in ordinary clothes, who then scampered off along the walltop and disappeared into a house. There were any number of explanations for such an action – most likely, he had just gone to inform the commander of the outpost that strangers had arrived – but the young monk could not stifle a feeling of disquiet that swept over her. She stepped closer to Baal, taking his hand as an excuse to lean in and murmur, "I don't like this place. There's something off about it."

"I feel it too," he said softly. "There's a sickly sweet smell in the air. I can't exactly place it, but it makes me nervous. Be on your guard, _nuur il-'en._"

There were a few people standing around in the main courtyard, soldiers and civilians alike, but none of them offered so much as a friendly glance to the newcomers. They seemed, Saiya thought, curiously inactive. Even the ones who were involved in some task – cleaning weapons, sweeping, or stacking supply crates – moved with slow, mechanical motions, and their faces were expressionless.

"Do you suppose we should ask someone where we'll be quartered?" said Kormac.

"No need," Baal replied. "Here comes the boss himself."

An extremely tall man, made even more imposing by his extravagant headpiece, was striding towards them. He carried a sword at his side, and his hand rested rather conspicuously on the hilt of it.

"_Men Leytenant Vachem edirem," _he said. His voice had the same hissing quality as the guard at the gate, though it was even more pronounced.

Baal introduced them all, giving their aliases. The Lieutenant narrowed his eyes.

"_Siz Kehjistani, lakin basqalari deyil. Niye arabi adlar var?" *_

"Do you speak Khanduran?" inquired the Hunter. When the other man nodded brusquely, he said, "Good. I understand your confusion, but I can explain. You are correct: my friends are not Kehjistani by birth, but they were all raised here, in an orphanage in Gea Kul."

"And yet they do not speak the language of their adopted country?" said Vachem. "That is very odd."

"I do," said Eirena brightly, raising her hand. _"Axsaminiz xeyir, cenab!" _

"The people at the orphanage were very insistent that their main lingual focus be on their countries of origin," said Baal. His tone was polite and even, but Saiya could tell by the slight tension in his neck that he was annoyed at being questioned. She decided to speak up.

"Please, sir," she said. "Do you know where we can find a healer? This woman in near death. She was tortured by the cultists."

Vachem looked at her as though she was something disgusting that he had stepped in, and gave no reply.

"My men say you want shelter for the night," he said, addressing Baal. "I can offer that, but first I must know your purpose here."

Saiya opened her mouth, but Baal's hand clenched down on hers in a grip that was almost painful. He said, "We are pilgrims on a journey to visit the desert shrines of the Horadrim. We stopped here because we hoped to find a healer, but if you do not have one, we might as well keep going as long as there's daylight left. Would you be so kind, Lieutenant, as to open the north gate for us?"

"Oh, you don't want to go out there," Vachem replied with an unpleasant smile. "People are dying. If you value your lives, return to Caldeum at once."

"It is your duty to guard this outpost, Lieutenant," said Baal, "and ensure that travelers may move freely, not to advise them."

The tall soldier shrugged. "Well, if you are so determined to rush headlong to your death, my friend, then I will not stand in your way. My second-in-command, Davyd, has the gate keys. He's down in the command post. The door is right over there."

"_Tessekür edirik," _said Baal. He led the way over to the indicated building, where a nearby soldier opened the door for them. Stone steps led down into musty darkness below, though Saiya could see a faint light at the end of the passage. She followed close behind Baal, slipping her brass knuckles on in the concealment of her roomy pockets.

A man's voice rang clearly from the command post as they approached it, speaking in Kehjistani. A moment later, he was answered by a woman. There was no mistaking her identity, no matter what language she spoke.

"Maghda!" Baal hissed. "She's here."

"It's a trap!" Saiya shouted. "Everybody out!"

They obeyed without question, running back up the stairs. Kormac and Najmah made it out safely, but the door slammed closed just as Eirena reached it, knocking her back. Saiya, who was right on her heels, caught her as she fell. Trying the handle, she found it locked, though she could hear the Templar bellowing a war cry on the other side, as well as the clash of metal.

"Fuck!" Baal snarled, smashing his fist against the wood. "I can't believe we fell for _this _again! We have no choice but to go down and face her."

"Isn't that what you came here for?" asked Eirena.

"Yes," he said, "but I wanted to do it on my terms, not hers."

"Well, we're here now," said Saiya. "Let's make the best of it. She's not going to escape from us a second time."

Baal stared at her for a moment in silence, and then grinned abruptly. "I _have_ been working on a new type of bolt that I've been wanting to try out," he said. "This might be the perfect chance. Just give me a second to prepare."

Kneeling down, he rustled around in his pack and drew out a bundle of arrows with serrated tips. He loaded them into his favorite bow, equipped the secondary one with the bolus shot, and rose to his feet. His eyes shone red from the shadow of his hood.

"Right," he said. "We don't know how many of them there are, but Maghda doesn't like to leave herself unguarded, so we can expect some resistance. Eirena, you should stay behind me and focus on casting supportive spells. Saiya, I'm counting on you to keep them off me while I target the witch. Be careful."

The two women nodded, and together they made their way back down the stairs and out into the command post. Maghda hovered in the center of the room, arms folded, evidently expecting them. True to Baal's estimate, she was surrounded by a group of armed soldiers who appeared to be awaiting her orders. In the background were several cages containing men and women in the garb of the Iron Wolves.

"Where's my lovely little Leah?" Maghda asked as they stepped through the doorway. "You haven't gone and left her behind, have you?" Baal said nothing, and the pale witch sighed. "Well, no matter. I will have her eventually. For now, I will content myself with the gift that Lord Belial has offered up to me. Guards, slaughter them!"

The soldiers began to convulse horribly, helmets melding with their heads and legs twisting together to become serpentine tails. Their torsos stayed relatively unchanged, except that the arms lengthened and the hands sprouted wicked claws. They slithered forward, tridents at the ready.

Saiya felt Baal's hand on her shoulder, and he leaned close to her ear and murmured, "Watch out for these ones. Some of their breed are poisonous. Don't let them bite you."

She was grateful for the warning when the first demon who attacked her lunged forward with its mouth open, aiming for the crux of her neck and shoulder. She twisted to the side, striking the monster's belly where snake scales met human skin. The demon hissed angrily, its tail lashing out in a wide arc. Saiya blocked with her forearm, but she had not anticipated the sheer strength of her opponent, and the blow sent her staggering back into the wall. Her arm went numb; she shook it out, clenching and flexing her fingers to restore feeling.

The serpent was coming for her again, and she moved just in time to avoid being speared on the end of its trident. The metal barbs stuck firmly in the wall, giving Saiya just the opening the needed. While her foe struggled to free its weapon, she delivered a kick to its side and felt ribs shatter. An uppercut to the jaw knocked it to the floor, where it writhed around on its side. Saiya pinned it down with her knee and pummeled its face until it stopped moving.

Looking up from the bloody mess, her heart flipped over as she saw that Baal had been backed into a corner by three of the demons. At such close range, the bolus shot was too risky to use, and his other bow was apparently not firing properly, leaving him with a hunting knife as his only defense. Eirena was aware of the trouble he was in, but another pair of the monsters cut her off from reaching him.

Saiya couldn't remember moving faster in her entire life. It felt as though she was gliding through the air as she rushed to his aid. She struck one of the serpents in the back with an open palm, hard enough to leave an imprint that blazed with holy light. It screamed and fell to the floor, thrashing, and Saiya turned her fury on the other two. Planting her booted foot firmly on the tail of one, she grabbed its head in both hands and twisted energetically, breaking its neck, and was just going for the second with a high kick when a blast from behind knocked her off balance. The serpent that she'd marked with her palm had exploded, leaving nothing more than a pile of smoking bones in a sea of blood.

In a flash, the remaining demon was upon her, casting its trident aside and grabbing her arms with steely fingers. She toppled over backwards, bringing up her knees as she fell to protect her stomach. Needle-point teeth snapped closed a hair's breadth away from her nose.

Having little other recourse, Saiya head-butted the thing, though this proved less than effective, considering that its only real facial feature was a vicious mouth. Before it could try to bite her again, however, Baal slit its throat from behind. A torrent of hot black blood gushed over Saiya's chest, and she gagged at the smell of it, like sulphur and burning flesh. Heaving the carcass off of her, she stumbled to her feet. Baal put out a hand to steady her.

"You all right?" he asked concernedly.

"Don't worry about me," she rasped, pushing him away. "Eirena's in danger."

"You take care of her," ordered the Hunter. "I'm going after Maghda."

Saiya turned towards the enchantress, who was steadily retreating while parrying attacks with her staff. She was bleeding from superficial cuts to her arms and legs, but worse than that, she seemed to be tiring. The young monk leaped to her defense, grabbing the haft of a trident as the demon wielding it drew back for a heavy blow. She jerked sharply backwards, stomping down on its head when it fell. The brief interruption was enough of a reprieve to allow Eirena to finish casting her spell, which rendered their final enemy immobile for a few precious seconds. Saiya finished it off while it was defenseless.

"Are you hurt?" she asked the petite blonde.

"I'll live," panted Eirena, holding her side as she tried to catch her breath.

"That's good," Saiya began, but a loud crack, followed immediately by a deafening _boom_, erased the words before she could utter them. She spun around, and her eyes widened in amazement at the colorful spectacle before her. The room was filled with tiny explosions of flame, ice, and lightning all going off simultaneously. It reminded Saiya of the fireworks display that the head monk used to orchestrate every midwinter, except that rather than watching safely from a distance, she was right in middle of the blast zone. A detonation several feet away lanced out a bolt of electricity that scorched her arm and caused her hair to stand on end. She felt a piercing pain just above her collarbone.

The source of the elemental maelstrom was Baal, who had finally succeeded in getting his new invention to work. He looked slightly stunned, and it occurred to Saiya that the result was more potent than he had intended. Maghda also looked taken aback, though she did not flinch, even when one of the grenades caught her skirt on fire. She merely whirled around – a blur of white, green, and purple – and the flames were extinguished.

"I will concede this victory to you, my pets," she said archly. "Do try not to get killed before we meet again." The space around her hands began to glow blue. It was a spell Saiya recognized, for she had seen Caesar use it many times. The witch was going to teleport, and gods only knew when they would get another chance to kill her.

She acted without thinking, instinct and a desperate need for revenge spurring her on. Dashing across the room, she channeled the last of her strength into a mighty leap. Her hand closed on Maghda's wrist just as the warping spell reached completion, and her world tilted, blurred, and disintegrated around her.

Then there was only darkness.

* * *

><p><em>* "Was zur Hölle?" means "What the hell?"<em>

_* Kormac said, "Oh, for heaven's sake. Get a room, please!" **(All credit goes to chrissyleena for the excellent German translations!) **_

_* Baal told the guard, "We seek refuge for the night. Will you accommodate us?"_

_* Vachem said, "You are Kehjistani, but the others are not. Why do they have arabi names? (arabi is the Arabic word for Arabic, and in my attempt to bring multiculturalism to Sactuary, I have assigned the people of Kehjistan a mix of Arabic and azerbajani as their native language. So essentially, Vachem's wondering why this group of obviously non-Kehjistani people have Kehjistani names.)_

_* Eirena said, "Good evening, mister!"_

_* "Tessekür edirik," means "Thank you."_

**I think Author's Notes are a bit less intrusive down at the bottom of the chapter, so since I don't have any important announcements, I'm putting it here this time. I just want to thank everyone for reading, and remind you all that reviews are just the best thing ever! I really appreciate you guys, and all the effort that you put into helping me improve the story. 'Til next time! :)**


	5. 5 - Like a Bird in a Cage

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart**_

* * *

><p><em>"A robin redbreast in a cage<em>  
><em>Puts all heaven in a rage."<em>  
><em>- William Blake<em>

* * *

><p>Chapter Five: Like a Bird in a Cage<p>

Saiya's return to consciousness was accompanied by a persistent throbbing headache in her temples. Her mouth was bone dry, her throat ached, and every inch of her skin felt like it had been scoured with sand. She hadn't felt this terrible upon waking since the morning after she and Baal had shared a bottle of honeymead.

The first thing that came to her attention was that she was sitting upright, with her back propped against an unyielding surface that dug painfully into her back. It was dark, but the moon was out, and by its silvery light she could see enough of her surroundings to guess where she was and what had happened after she fainted.

She was inside an iron enclosure that resembled a large birdcage; tall enough for her to stand upright, and wide enough so that she could fully stretch out her legs from sitting. She was neither bound nor chained, but a few experimental shakes of the cage door proved that she would not be able to budge it with strength alone.

_No matter, _she thought. _A quick blast of the bell will tear through these bars like paper. _But when she listened for the otherworldly sound, the pulse of silence in her ear was deafening. Increasingly frantic, she tried to chant a few mantras and though the words came easily, they brought no holy power into the world. She was cut off, bereft of her spiritual energy, and even the simplest technique was currently beyond her ability.

Angry and (for the moment) defeated, Saiya sank down to the hard floor of the cage and allowed a quiet sob to escape her lips. She had no doubt that she was in Alcarnus; she had a good view of the town the Coven had occupied from her prison: houses with battered doors and empty windows, streets littered with the corpses of the people who had tried to resist, or who had simply not fled fast enough. Surprisingly, there was not much of a smell. The merciless sun had done its work, mummifying the bodies.

Finding no solace in the bleak and tragic landscape, Saiya's thoughts turned to Baal and the rest of their companions. Apparently they had been left behind at the Outpost when she had foolishly grabbed the warping witch. They would have survived the trap Maghda had set for them – there was no question of that; they _must _have survived – and they would now be coming to her rescue. Presuming that it was still the same night, she had roughly two full days to endure before she could expect to see them again. She wished more than anything that she had Leena's mirror, so that she might at least see her lover, but her pack was missing, mostly likely taken by the cultists.

"Well," she muttered to herself, taking some small comfort in the sound of a human voice, even if it was her own, "I might as well get some sleep. The more time I spend resting, the sooner this will be over."

Her years of training served her well, for she was able to drop off almost instantly, despite the uncomfortable position. She dreamt of Baal, of his arms around her and his lips covering hers, of his voice pouring confidence into her ear, of his forest-fire eyes that kindled her very soul to a roaring inferno ...

They came at dawn. Maghda glided regally through the carnage, her slippered toes barely brushing the ground. Two cultists followed in her wake, a man and a woman. The first Saiya knew of them was a crushing pain in her chest, as though something was squeezing the air from her lungs. It tore her cruelly from her slumber, and she jolted forward with a gasp. The female cultist lowered her hand, and the agony stopped as suddenly as it had began. Saiya regarded her visitors warily, back pressed against the bars, knees pulled up to her chest.

"I see you're awake, my pet," said the witch. Her voice was a knife coated in honey – all sweetness and sharp edges. "Did you sleep well?"

Saiya held her tongue. She didn't know what her enemy's intention was, but she was sure it was more sinister than a desire to taunt her.

"Not very talkative, I see. Well, that can be remedied." Maghda leaned in until the tip of her nose touched the metal of the cage. For the first time, Saiya looked directly into her eyes. They were a crystalline grey that looked almost like fractured stone, frighteningly cold and lifeless. Behind those eyes Saiya could see traces of a soul just as broken and withered, sucked dry by years of giving love and devotion to a being that could return neither. The young monk felt an unexpected pity, which was gone the instant Maghda opened her purple-painted lips.

"You will tell me everything I want to know," she said. "I don't think I need to describe what your punishment will be for failing to answer my questions. Suffice it to say that you _will _talk … or you will die. Eventually, and in great pain. The choice is yours. Now, my first question is: how many of you came to Caldeum from New Tristram?"

Saiya clenched her teeth together and narrowed her eyes into a hard stare. She could have lied, could have said, _"Just the four of us that you saw in Khasim. No one else." _But she wouldn't give Maghda the satisfaction of thinking she had won.

She knew what was coming and still it stole her breath away: the sudden sharp burn of mage-fire against her skin, searing, consuming, setting her nerves aflame. She tried to dive into a state of calm where the torment could not touch her, but her severed connection to the spiritual realm would not allow it. A scream ripped itself free, scratching her throat on the way out.

And then it was over, and a curious numbness was seeping into her flesh. She concentrated on her breathing, loud and ragged on the torpid morning air. _I'm still alive …_

"I'll ask again, little pet," Maghda spat, flecking Saiya's face with spittle. "Where are the others? The wizard and the _sangoma_, and Adria's girl? Did they stay in Khanduras, or are they lurking around somewhere, hiding like rats in a sewer?"

This time the spell was frigid, turning the marrow in her bones to ice. Saiya shivered uncontrollably, jaws aching as her teeth clashed together, fingers growing stiff and blue. She could barely remember what warmth _was. _Too cold to cry out, she was turning into a frozen statue – would Baal find her beautiful like this, glittering like a diamond in the sunlight? – she would be preserved for all eternity, for magical ice never melts –

"Enough," said Maghda curtly, and the spell broke. The witch's hairless brows were lowered in a scowl, her puckered lips almost petulant. She sneered, "What makes you cling to your silence so, girl? Is it loyalty to that ragtag group of misfits you call friends? Who among them is worth your life?"

Saiya blinked drops of melting frost from her eyelashes and locked stares with her nemesis. "Every single one," she ground out.

A malicious smile grew on Maghda's waxy visage. "Especially the black-haired boy who plays at being a demon hunter, am I correct?" she murmured. "Yes, I can see it in your gaze when you look at me. It's written all over your face. You think yourself in _love. _How trite. And you imagine that he will come to save you, yes? A gallant knight in a black cloak riding in upon his stallion to free the maiden from captivity." The witch burst into a mocking laugh.

"It will be such fun to kill him," she crowed, "and you're going to help me, my pet, by telling me everything you know about his fighting style, the weapons he uses, the tricks he has up his sleeve … everything."

Saiya lost track of how long Maghda interrogated her, but the cultists inflicted a minute of suffering for every lack of response to a question, and there were hundreds. Their methods varied – they tried lightning spells, spectral blades, globes of water that surrounded her head and clung there until she thought she would drown, even a beam of red light that passed through her body without physically affecting it, but that caused the worst pain she had ever experienced.

Once, she felt an upsurge of spiritual power returning to her body, and the bliss of it was nearly enough to drive away the anguish, but Maghda saw relief in her eyes and placed one of her butterflies close to the bars; the shimmering insect jabbed its stinger into Saiya's shoulder, and the silver energy ebbed away again before it was ever truly in reach. That was the moment when she truly gave up, hanging her head and tasting the blood that dripped into her mouth from a cut on her cheek. They continued to torture her after that, but she hardly felt it. Though her body flinched and her mouth gave vent to screams and moans, her mind was removed and distant. When it was done, they went away unsatisfied and left her huddled in the cage like a bird with broken wings.

The day crawled by in hour-long seconds. By noon the sun had heated the metal bars to the point where they seared her skin. Saiya removed her billowy tunic, split it at the seams, and tied it overhead to make a sort of awning. The shade that it cast was flimsy, but even the slightest protection from the unbearable gaze of the sun was worthwhile.

She passed the time by imagining what she would do to Maghda once she got free. Simply killing her wouldn't be enough to quench the raging need for vengeance that burned in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to _annihilate _the witch, grind her face into the dust until there was nothing left, strip her of all her pride and arrogance and leave her a hollow shell which could then be shattered. These bitterly pleasant imaginings got her through the hunger and thirst and boredom and the dull, echoing throb of her wounds.

That evening, the cultists came and stood around her prison, jeering at her in both Khanduran and Kehjistani. Saiya paid them no mind, even when they spat through the bars and taunted her with food and water, which they dumped on the ground because she would not beg for it. They eventually dissipated after she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Once they had gone, she stretched her arm out as far as it would go and managed to retrieve a roll of bread that was more or less untarnished. Removing the part that had been stepped on, she ate it, though the lack of saliva in her mouth made it difficult to swallow. She almost choked on one of the larger bites and giggled aloud, imagining how stupid it would be, after all that she had survived thus far, to be done in by a piece of baked dough pilfered from one of her enemies.

It was a long night. Slumber, snatched in brief but precious increments, was shallow and dominated always by pain and discomfort. When the sky began to pale and she caught sight of Maghda's distinctive form drifting down the staircase from the tower, she groaned aloud, debating how long she could hold out before she cracked under the pressure, or lost her mind entirely. The one thing keeping her going was the knowledge that Baal was now no more than a day's travel away; less if he had been pushing himself, which would not surprise her in the least.

Maghda, evidently realizing that magical methods was getting zero results, had brought along a robed man carrying a case. He opened it to reveal an impressive set of torture instruments. Saiya made a game of guessing how each one was used (her favorite being a pair of tongs with exceptionally fine serrated blades, which she decided were for forcibly plucking nose hairs) and found that such levity actually eased her sense of dread. She barked out a dry laugh when the man removed the Nose-Hair-Plucker, and then morbidly wondered if she had not already gone insane, and just hadn't noticed yet.

The witch fixed Saiya with a flinty glare and said, "You must be very tired, my dear, not to mention in a terrible amount of pain. Do make it easy on yourself. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll have you released. You'll be fed and your wounds will be treated."

"There's no point in making promises I know you won't keep," Saiya shot back. "I'm not going to talk. Just get it over with, please, so I can go back to sleep."

"Brave words," said the witch, nodding to her accomplice. He held up two pairs of shackles, as well as the key to Saiya's cage. Stepping forward he unlocked the door and grabbed her by the ankle.

She was ready for him, slamming her free foot into his face with all her strength – which at the moment, was not all that impressive. It was enough to send him stumbling back with his hands cupped to his face, however, and Saiya did not waste her chance. Diving through the opening, she rolled fluidly and came up running. She didn't know which way was out, so she chose one of the available paths at random, sprinting as if all the demons of hell were hot on her heels.

A wall sprang up before her. She swerved left, careening headlong down a flight of stairs, and nearly tripped over a corpse sprawled in the street. Regaining her balance, she kept running, heartbeat hammering in her ears and each breath slicing her lungs like a knife.

And then she turned a corner and the main gate was there ahead of her, tantalizingly open. She could see the desert beyond, golden-brown and glistening with heat waves. Desperation spurred her forward, increasing her already impressive speed.

She was no more than five steps from freedom when a thick buzzing clogged her ears and the air stiffened as a swarm of butterflies closed in around her. Saiya knew at once that it was Maghda, in the same form she had taken before in the Butchers arena, that had allowed Baal's arrows to pass through her without causing harm.

"Keep running, my pet," the woman's voice crooned in her ear. "You're so close now. Just a little further …"

The cruel taunts triggered something in Saiya's chest – a wellspring of fiery rage, boiling over like water heated in a cauldron. Later, when she had a chance to think about it, she would realize that in that moment, she had made a decision: _I will escape, or I will die trying. _At the time, however, all that she was conscious of was reaching for the bell.

It answered.

The resulting peal was so intense that it dented the earth, forming a crater about three feet deep. Maghda's butterfly cloud was scattered by the blast, and Saiya could _feel _the witch's scream reverberating in her bones. She doubted that she had managed to kill her opponent, but _oh, _she hoped to all the gods that she had.

No one tried to hinder her as she sped through the doorway and out onto open ground, but even so it was a long while before she felt safe enough to slacken her pace. Eventually she collapsed in the lee of a boulder and lay flat on her back, ribs heaving as she sucked in eager gasps of air. Alcarnus was a dark smudge on the horizon line, and she could see no pursuers.

The true severity of her situation hit her then, as she stared out across the endless desert before her. She was utterly alone, with no food or water, no compass … not even a shirt. The task of locating her friends suddenly seemed as impossible as trying to find a specific blade of grass in a meadow. They could be anywhere; suppose they had chosen not to take the road, or hole up during the day and move only by cover of night? Saiya groaned when she realized that her chances of survival were actually higher back in the cage.

But, having successfully escaped, she was hardly going to return on her hands and knees and submit to captivity and torture. So she wrapped her _hijab _around her shoulders like an old woman's shawl and stepped out onto the sand. Setting a steady pace to conserve her what energy she had remaining, she found herself humming the first song that came to her mind:

"_Edelweiss, Edelweiss_

_Every morning, you greet me_

_Small and white, clean and bright_

_You look happy to meet me_

_Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow_

_Bloom and grow forever_

_Edelweiss, Edelweiss_

_Bless my homeland forever." _

The sweet and simple melody nearly brought her to her knees, so strongly did it recall the happy days of her childhood, and the temple home she had forsaken. The final note wavered as tears stung her eyes, and her throat ached. But the young monk pressed her lips together resolutely and continued on, though she did change tunes to something less evocative.

"_Are you going to Scarborough Fair? _

_Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme_

_Remember me to one who lives there_

_For he was once a true love of mine." _

This made her think of Baal, and ponder over their seemingly accidental meeting. Was it truly fate, as Caesar had suggested? Or did they simply blunder into each other's paths, for better or for worse. Saiya could never be sorry that she had met him, even if she was now trudging through a barren wasteland as a direct result. She wondered abruptly how he was coping with her disappearance. Probably not well at all, if she knew the man. She hoped that he wasn't _too _worried, although the face he made when he was concerned for her did strange things to her heart and stomach both.

_Speaking of my stomach, _Saiya reflected ruefully, _I don't think I've ever been this hungry in my entire life. _She had always had a healthy appetite, and her body tended to burn through weight very quickly if it was not properly fuelled; she had now been a full day and two nights without anything more than a half-loaf of dry bread – though perhaps the lack of water should have been more concerning. The head monk had told her once that a human being could survive for more than twenty-one days without eating, but only three days without anything to drink. Already, she could feel some of the early symptoms of dehydration setting in. Her head was pounding, her vision was a little hazy, and her mouth was so dry that her tongue had gotten stuck to the roof of it more than once. Unless she found some water soon, she might very well become too weakened to even move.

An hour or so later, as she was making her way down the side of a massive sand dune, something in the distance caught her eye. It looked like the glint of sunlight on a pool, and she could almost swear she saw rippling blue waves and verdant plants. She broke into a run, casting off the mantle of her exhaustion, slithering partway on her side in her in her haste to reach the life-saving liquid. But to her baffled disappointment, the glorious reservoir turned out to be nothing more than a parched hollow, and the flashes of green a few lonely shrubs.

Saiya fell to her knees, burying her fingers despondently in the loose sand. "Am I seeing things now?" she groaned. "Oh gods, Baal, where are you? I need you. I can't go on like this …"

The world tilted, and before she recognized what was happening she had collapsed onto her side, forehead pressed to the ground and legs curled underneath her. Blearily, she gazed up at the azure sky.

"Is it all right if I rest here, Baal?" she whispered. "Just for a minute. Just until I can get my strength back. I'm gonna find you, I _am_, I just need to rest …"

Strange clouds were gathering overhead: tiny red clouds that moved in a circular pattern at a steady speed. Then one of them emitted a raucous cry and Saiya realized that they were not clouds at all, but a flock of birds. Raptors, to be exact – and they were currently biding their time, waiting for her to expire so they could land and feed on her fresh carcass.

The young monk was too weary to feel afraid, though she was a bit sad that she would never get to say farewell to her Hunter. She contemplated writing him a note to tell him how grateful she was for his presence in her life, but her paper and quill were in her pack, which had been confiscated by the cultists. There were, however, a number of pebbles scattered around, and she decided to arrange some of them into a simple message.

The last words she would ever say.

_I love you, Baal. _

She had gotten halfway through the second 'o' when one of the more adventurous raptors evidently came to the conclusion that he had waited too long for his meal. He dropped like an arrow from heaven, talons outstretched and beak opened wide in a fearsome scream that had frozen many a rodent it its tracks. Saiya shut her eyes tight and covered her face with her hands.

But the pain she'd expected never came. A second screech mingled with the first, and the sound of violently beating wings. When Saiya cautiously cracked an eyelid, she saw two winged forms locked together, one blood-colored and the other as dark as the night. They clawed and snapped at one another with talons and beaks, and then the hawk tore free in an explosion of crimson feathers and fled. His brethren hung back, wary of the newcomer but unwilling to desert such a excellent chance of a free banquet.

The black bird furled its wings and landed, a little awkwardly. As it strutted over to her, a joyous smile spread on Saiya's face, cracking her dry lips.

"Gawahir!" she exclaimed. "Is it really you?"

"Saiya," croaked the raven, expressing disapproval very accurately for a creature who could only mimic human speech. "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep. Saiya."

"Not lost anymore," she muttered. "Gawahir, where's Baal? Is he nearby?"

Gawahir marched back and forth with his breast puffed out. "Lost her sheep," he repeated, "and doesn't know where to find them." If Saiya hadn't known better, she would have said he was mocking her.

"Go find Baal," she said. "Tell him I need help. And hurry!"

The raven hunched his shoulders, fixed her with a beady glare, and took flight. As soon as he was out of sight, the remaining hawks began to soar closer. Saiya chucked a stone at one and missed.

"Please don't take long, guys," she mumbled.

The minutes passed by in silence broken only by the occasional scream from the hawks. A lizard ran over her bare stomach, mistaking her as part of the environment. There were colors everywhere, red and purple and green and gold all churning together and spilling out across the sky. How had she never noticed how beautiful the desert was before? Her vision danced and her ears sang; every grain of sand was alive, and yet she was removed from it all, isolated and alone. The earth was rocking beneath her back, and she was sinking into it, falling down - down - into the smothering darkness. Her throat burned. Her skin was on fire. Why did everything hurt so much?

"_Saiya," _the wind whispered in her ear, faint and ephemeral. "_Wake up. Please." _

"I'm awake," she said. "Leave me alone. I'm waiting for someone."

"_You have to wake up!" _

Cool dampness on her face, rough and thorny fingers that stroked her forehead with all the tenderness of a mother touching her infant. Saiya whimpered.

"_WAKE UP!" _

Her eyes snapped open. She was lying on a thin pallet in a dimly lit room, and a Kehjistani woman squatted beside her, sponging her face with a wet cloth.

"Where am I?" Saiya gasped, her head spinning with disorientation.

"Relax," said the woman, in easy Khanduran. "You're in the Khasim Outpost. I'm Asiya, healer to the First Battalion of the Iron Wolves. Your name is Saiya, right?"

"Yeah, that's … wait, who told you that?"

"Re_lax_," the woman repeated insistently. "You're among friends. We know about your little secret, okay? And don't worry, the names that go in the report with be Kala, Alem, whatever. We're on your side."

_Was it all a dream? _she thought hazily. _Warping with Maghda, the cage, being tortured by the cultists, escaping, the hawks … did I imagine all of that? _

"Where's … Baal?" she groaned. "I want to see him."

"Your friends left for Alcarnus yesterday morning," replied Asiya. "Actually, they left several days before that, but they brought you back because you were badly injured. It's been touch and go for a while, and I wasn't sure you'd survive, but you pulled through all right. You're pretty tough."

"They left without me?" Saiya cried, struggling to sit up. "I have to go after them!"

"Oh no, you don't," said Asiya, and she placed a hand on Saiya's chest and pushed her effortlessly back. The young monk wasn't sure if her ordeal had weakened her or if the other woman was just exceptionally strong, but her attempt at resistance got her nowhere.

"They warned me about you," Asiya continued. "What a terrible patient you are, and so on. Be warned that I won't tolerate any stupidity on your part. As long as you behave, I'll be nice to you, but the moment you disobey my orders as your healer, you'll wish that the Coven still had you in their grip. Is that clear?"

"Yes," said Saiya, who had by no means resigned herself to another form of captivity. She was determined that as soon as Asiya's back was turned, she'd be gone. It was maddening to think that Baal had just abandoned her here and run off to confront Maghda. If he got himself killed, she would _never _forgive him.

"Well, I bet you've got some questions, considering that you've been dead to the world for a couple days. Almost literally." The Iron Wolf grinned, and Saiya focused on her for the first time. She was of medium height, and her petite build belied her wiry strength. Her face was rather plain at first glance: dark skin chapped by the sun, brown eyes set under thick black brows, a strong nose and decisive chin. Her lips were her single attractive feature – plump and perfectly sized, a natural shade of dark cherry red that many women had tried and failed to recreate with paints.

"I'll just spare you the trouble of asking and summarize," she continued. "It's been four days since the Outpost was liberated by your group (for which we are eternally thankful, yada yada). After you did your vanishing act, your pals had a big argument about whether they should leave immediately or wait until morning. Eventually they decided to wait. Okay, I'll admit that was mostly my doing. Some of them were wounded, and I don't like it when wounded people walk around like morons until they die of blood loss. So I made them stay. To be perfectly honest, I _may_ have locked one of them up in the cages for the night."

"I'm going to guess it was Baal," Saiya said.

"How right you are!" Asiya exclaimed, smiling again. Saiya felt a reluctant liking for the healer begin to flower in her chest. She was still furious about the forced bed rest, however temporary, but she couldn't help admiring anyone with the guts to defy Baal when he was in a temper.

"He must have been in a good mood when you let him out the next morning," she remarked.

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe. I seriously thought he was going to murder me! Anyway, they left, but then two days later, what do you know, they're back! Baal and the Templar, that is – what's his name, Kormun? – and they've got you with them, all beat to hell. They drop you off here, spend the night because apparently they'd walked nonstop since they found you, and then up and away again the next morning. That was yesterday. And _I've _been working without a break this whole time to save your ass, so a little 'thank you' wouldn't go amiss."

"Thank you," Saiya said politely. Now that her initial panic upon waking had ebbed, she noticed that she did, in fact, feel substantially better than she had during her last conscious moments. She was still hungry and thirsty, but not devastatingly so. The ache in her head had subsided, though the skin on her upper body felt raw and scratchy from her prolonged exposure to the sun.

Asiya shrugged and said, "It's my job." Her gruffness reminded Saiya of Brother Malachi, and she took a moment to wonder if all healers had such abrasive personalities. And if so, was it because brusque people naturally gravitated towards the healing arts, or because practicing the art of healing made people short-tempered?

"Then you've done your job well," she said, and was rewarded with another blinding grin from the Iron Wolf.

"I try," she said. "You didn't make it easy for me, though. I hate healers who say this, but your survival was nothing short of a miracle. Really. Besides the dehydration – which came _this _close to killing you, by the way – you were also starving to death, suffering from heatstroke and exhaustion, and had a dangerously high fever as a result of an infected wound in your neck."

Saiya frowned. She didn't remember getting any physical injuries from the cultists. Something that had happened during her escape, perhaps? She reached up to touch her throat with ginger fingertips, and found it swathed in bandages.

"If you're curious," Asiya said helpfully, "it was caused by this." She held up a tiny object pinched between her fingertips: a black arrowhead.

"That … looks like _Baal's,_" she muttered. "But how …?"

Then it came to her. Of course! The new elemental arrows that he had tested during the fight with Maghda! When they had detonated, a wayward piece of shrapnel must have hit her. She was shocked that she hadn't noticed it before. Then again, it hadn't bled much, and her mind had been occupied with other matters.

A sudden thought occurred to her, and she looked sharply up at Asiya. "Does Baal know?" she asked.

"About what?" the other woman asked blankly.

"The arrowhead."

"Well, yeah. He was there when I removed it."

"Shit," Saiya exclaimed vehemently. Baal had a tendency to blame himself for things that he was not remotely responsible for; how would he react when it was something that he _had _caused, albeit accidentally? Her guess was, _not very well. _She desperately hoped that he wouldn't do something idiotic, like try to avoid her or end their relationship because he was a 'danger' to her.

"Are you feeling all right?" Asiya asked, shifting instantly into professional healer mode. She laid a firm hand on Saiya's forehead, peered into her eyes, and checked her pulse.

"I'm fine," the young monk assured her automatically. "Listen, how long before I can be on my way? My friends are going to need my help."

The Iron Wolf shook her head. "Just give up on that idea, girl. You need at least one more day of complete rest, probably more. By that time, your pals will be on their way back. If they're still alive, that is." When Saiya glared at her, she said, "Sorry, but I don't believe it's kind to offer false comfort. The fact is, they're in danger. They might come back, or they might not. I've lost too many comrades in this line of work to take anyone's safety for granted. But hey, you know what is a sure thing?"

"What?" Saiya growled.

"Sunrise. No matter how bad the night is, that big yellow ball is going to roll around again sometime. Life goes on, there's no use fretting. Want a bath?"

A long soak and lots of soap, coupled with a nutritious meal and approximately two full buckets of water, worked wonders for Saiya's temperament. Asiya stayed in sight the whole time, as if she suspected that her patient would run away the moment she turned her back (which was actually not far from the truth), but by the end of the day, the two women were fast friends. This began when they discovered that their names contained the same letters in slightly different order, but soon they were talking as naturally as if they had known each other all their lives. Saiya learned that the healer was niece to the Iron Wolves' Commander, Asheara, and that her aunt had raised her from early childhood, after the death of her mother, Asheara's sister. Her father was another Wolf who had died in combat five years before. She had been drawn to healing at a young age ("How could I avoid it, with a name like mine?" she'd laughed. "It _means _'one who tends to the sick'!"), though her aunt had scrupulously ensured that she had enough training as a warrior to defend herself in combat.

In turn, Saiya told her of growing up in the temple, and of her training as a monk. Asiya was especially curious about recent events in Khanduras, so with a bit of prodding, Saiya divulged the entire story, from arriving at New Tristram to the moment they stepped off the ship in Gea Kul – though she soon learned to stick to dry facts and leave out her personal feelings for Baal, as her new friend was far more interested in politics than romance, and bluntly said so.

Another benefit of getting to know Asiya was the Iron Wolf battle robes that she willingly provided. The two women were roughly the same height and weight, and Asiya insisted that Saiya needed something 'practical' to wear. The armor was perfect: a thin chest plate under a tawny garment, augmented by chainmail, that reached past her knees, but was split up the sides to facilitate horse-riding and easy movement in combat. There were also durable iron-toed boots, bracers and pauldrons for her arms and shoulders, and a rounded helmet with a fitted nose guard, a spike mounted on the top, and a piece of fabric sewn onto the back to protect her neck from the sun. Wearing the full set for the first time, Saiya was inspired to do a few light warm-ups in the Outpost courtyard: a performance that was roundly applauded by the observing soldiers and Asiya.

Laying on her pallet that night, she counted the days that had passed since she had last seen Baal. Five in total, the longest they had been separated since they met. She wondered if he missed her as badly as she missed him, and spent a few pleasant minutes imagining their reunion. They would simply stare at each other for a moment, not quite believing it was real, and then he would sweep her up in his arms and kiss her-

The image roused a longing in her heart, and an aching, insistent throb in other, more sensitive places. As if acting on their own initiative, her fingers crept down the smooth expanse of her stomach and parted the hair that sprouted between her legs, searching for the little bud that lay there. Her ministrations were clumsy compared to the way Baal had touched her, but with that memory fresh in her mind, it didn't take long to find her release. She couldn't prevent a soft groan from escaping her lips, and was heartily glad that she had the room to herself, Asiya having retreated to her own quarters after the young monk promised not to leave without permission.

Thinking of her lover, she drifted off to sleep. But her dreams were plagued by the same horrifying vision that had driven her to follow Baal to Anthem. Her companions, her friends: all dead, slaughtered by Maghda. She woke in the early hours of the morning covered in sweat, mouth open in a silent scream and fingers outstretched for Baal's lifeless face.

A lengthy meditation followed by as rigorous a workout as the healer would permit helped clear her mind, but the nightmare lurked in dark corners all through the day, while Saiya tried to amuse herself with conversations and card games. She won a bit of money from the guards, picked up a few odd phrases in Kehjistani, and befriended the half-wild dog that hung around the fort, scrounging for scraps from the kitchens.

The Iron Wolves treated her kindly and she wanted for nothing, but her inner misery increased by the hour. When another full day had passed by with no sign from the rest of her group, Saiya decided that she could wait no longer. With Asiya's grudging agreement that she was healed enough to travel, if not to fight, she struck out for Alcarnus. Captain Davyd, a pleasant, jovial man with beads braided into his hair and goatee, insisted on sending an honor guard of five men to accompany her.

It was midday when Raffi, who had been scouting the road ahead with his telescope, suddenly cried out, "I see them, _xanim_! About half an hour away and moving fast."

Saiya's heart gave a great leap, but she did her best to contain the tremble in her voice when she said, "Alright. You guys can head back to the Outpost now; I think I'll be fine on my own from here on out. _Tesekkür edirik. Xosbextlik ile getmek._"

"And to you, _xanim_," replied Raffi, with a smile, "though you might want to work on your pronunciation before trying to pass yourself off as a native of this land."

The Wolves, their duty fulfilled, returned the way they had come, while Saiya pressed on ahead with a light spirit and a spring in her step. Her ordeal in Alcarnus seemed a dark and distant memory now, and soon it would fade altogether, for some intuition told her that Maghda was dead. Their mission was accomplished at last.

Her eyes were constantly scanning the horizon, and the moment her friends came into sight she broke into a run. It wasn't until she was nearly within hailing distance that she realized something was dreadfully wrong. Kormac was there, limping a little and leaning on his spear. Eirena and Najmah walked just behind him. There was a definite difference in the giant's demeanor, but Saiya did not pause to think about it, because there was one person whose absence was more noticeable to her than the sun in the sky.

She skidded to a halt in front of them, panting, and met Kormac's eyes. The dread she saw there sparked a crushing sense of terror in her breast.

"Where's Baal?" she demanded.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks so, SO much to everyone who has reviewed this story so far (and to everyone who will hopefully review in the future...) I can't say it enough, your support makes this story worth writing! Special thanks to Pandemoniuem for your suggestion - I tweaked it a little bit, hope you don't mind. Also, in case anyone is disappointed that the fight with Maghda was left out, never fear! I <em>have<em> included the fight, it'll feature in the next chapter. **

**This chapter in particular was fun to write; I'd love to know what everyone thinks! **

**'Til next time!**

**- Dr. Kitten **

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><p><em>* Saiya said: "Thank you. Good fortune go with you."<em>


	6. 6 - Blind in the Light

**Amor Vincit Omnia**

**(Love Conquers All)**

_**Part Two: The Fragile Heart**_

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><p><em>"Hexe … es ist Zeit dich schuldig zu bekennen<em>  
><em>Wer mit dem Feuer spiel wird brennen." <em>

**_"Witch, it is time to confess your tresspasses_**  
><strong><em>Whoever plays with fire shall burn." <em>**  
><em>- E Nomine <em>  
><em> "Hexenjagd"<em>

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><p>Chapter Six: Blind in the Light<p>

The Templar shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "_Schwesterchen,_" he began, "I know what you must think and I can put your mind at ease. Baal is not dead."

"Then where is he?" she said.

"I don't know," Kormac admitted. "I'm truly sorry, Saiya. I wish I-"

"What happened, Kormac?" she interrupted, struggling to keep her voice calm. "I need to know."

"I'll tell you everything," he promised, "but we may want to find a spot to sit down and rest. It'll take a while …"

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><p><em>-Two days earlier-<em>

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><p>Kormac sat down on the top step of the tower to catch his breath and wiped sweat from his eyes with the back of his hand. He was exhausted almost beyond the capacity for movement, and he knew that the others weren't much better off. They had reached Alcarnus at sundown, and Baal had made the tactically sound but realistically faulty decision to attack at once, while they had darkness and the element of surprise on their side, rather than wait for morning. They had been fighting for hours now, and had finally pinned the last of their enemies in the defensible tower at the top of the fort, but it had been a grueling affair that left them all ragged. Najmah had taken a spear in the side, which had fortunately done no serious damage. Eirena was bleeding heavily from a gash on her lower back, and Baal had a head wound in need of attention. The Templar himself was relatively unscathed, but he had gone down hard on his right knee at one point, and the joint felt bruised and swollen. It twinged troublingly with every step.<p>

He wished that Saiya was with them, for several reasons. The obvious one was that her addition to the group made them that much stronger. But besides that, he was worried sick about her. She had looked so frail when they found her in the desert, and although her condition _had _improved by the time they left the Khasim Outpost, the healer there had told them quite firmly that it could go downhill again at any time. He didn't think he could bear it if she died without even giving him a chance to say goodbye.

An impatient sigh from Baal brought the third reason to mind. By now, Kormac was accustomed to the Hunter's bouts of moodiness, but he had been especially intolerable the last few days. Kormac's attempts to offer comfort had been rebuffed with stony silence, and any suggestion that they stop to rest or even eat was roundly criticized. Baal had pushed them mercilessly; it was run at his pace or fall behind, and Kormac was not about to have the other man's death on his conscience because he could not keep up.

"Just a minute more," he said in response to Baal's inquisitive glare. "I just need to catch my breath."

The Hunter leaned against the wall, his tapping foot acting as a constant reminder that Kormac's rest time was running out. Eirena sat down on the step beside him. The moonlight turned her skin to alabaster and her hair to pure gold; she held herself so stiffly upright and still that she might well have been a statue. She was, Kormac thought, the only beautiful thing amongst all the ugliness of this place.

"How is your back, _Fraulein?_" he asked quietly.

"It hurts," she replied. "How about your knee? You seem to be favoring it."

"It's nothing," he said.

The enchantress turned to look up at the massive iron door that barred their way into the topmost turret of the fort. "Maghda's in there," she whispered.

"Yes," agreed Kormac. Moved by a sudden impulse, he shyly put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Are you frightened?"

She shook her head. "You?"

He considered it. "No, I am not frightened. If I must die tonight, then at least I will die knowing that I am doing my duty as a Templar. '_Vom Hexenhammer angeklagt beginnt somit die Hexenjagd.'" *_

_Yes, _he thought, _witches have no place in this world. They are evil and they must be eliminated for the good of the population. _Then he thought of Ghor and his righteous satisfaction faltered a little. _She _was not evil – quite the opposite, in fact. She had saved his life, despite having no reason to call him a friend. If his fellow Brothers were ever to get their hands on her, they would burn her at the stake. Could he allow that, knowing her as he did? Somehow, he didn't think so.

Baal voice startled him out of his pondering state of mind. "Come on, Kormac. We're wasting time. If we sit here much longer, the sun will be up."

With a groan, he heaved his bulk off the stair and reached down to help Eirena up as well. She thanked him with a pert smile that made his heart quiver. God help him, he had fallen under her spell as surely as those lacuni she had charmed. But he knew she could never love someone like him ... a criminal, a wretch, a penniless man twice her age with nothing to offer.

"Ready?" said Baal grimly. Kormac nodded, and the Hunter reached out to give him a brief pat on the shoulder – an unusually friendly gesture coming from him. It occurred to Kormac that this was probably as much of an apology as he would get for Baal's irascibility over the past few days. Well, he'd take it and be grateful.

The door had no obvious handles, but it opened inwards with a hearty push from Najmah. Beyond was a wide open space, dotted with pits and outbuildings and surrounded by a trench some ten feet deep and lined with spikes. A drawbridge spanned the gap, though Kormac was positive that it would be retracted as soon as they crossed over.

"Maghda!" Baal roared, his voice echoing around the enclosure. "Come out and face your doom!"

She appeared in a swirl of butterflies, looking colder than ever in the frosty light. Kormac didn't see any cultists behind her, but that didn't mean she was alone and undefended. They were just hiding, he guessed, waiting for the right moment to appear.

"So," said Maghda, "the hounds are here at last. Tell me, pet, did you come here for me, or for the little bird I have in a cage?"

Baal laughed harshly. Kormac hardly recognized him in that moment; a feral grin split his lips and his eyes blazed ruby-red in the darkness. He half looked like a demon himself.

"You're trying to buy your own safety with something you don't have to bargain with, you fool," the Hunter said, "and the price for your blunder will be death." He raised his crossbow and fired three bolts. They passed through Maghda like pebbles through water and lodged in the side of the sandstone hut behind her.

"Ha!" she exclaimed. "You'll have to do better than that, little hound. I am far more powerful than-"

The arrows exploded, splinters flying in all directions as the blast powder hidden in the shafts ignited. Maghda was enveloped in a multicolored cloud of fire, ice, and lightning that flared simultaneously and faded, leaving scars on Kormac's vision.

But Maghda was scarred as well. There was a burn upon one pale shoulder, boils marking her flawless skin. She looked down at it in horror, though she seemed more affected by the appearance than by any pain it had caused her.

"Bastard!" she hissed. "You'll pay for that. I'm done playing games!"

She raised up her hands, fingers splayed, and light leapt from her palms and shot towards them. Kormac dodged to the side, but the beams curved as well, following his movements. In the second before they hit, the air shimmered and absorbed the spell. The Templar glanced up to see Eirena, staff in hand and an expression of utmost concentration on her lovely face.

"Thank you," he gasped.

"You're welcome," she replied with a smile, before shifting her focus to Maghda. Kormac stood in front of her, blocking her from the witch's sight while she cast her magic.

Truthfully, he was at a loss as to how he should go about assailing enemy. Obviously she could be injured, but how? Was it only the elements of nature to which she was vulnerable, or was it any attack that she couldn't see coming? Baal was still firing arrows, but now she was wise to his scheme, and moved away from them once they had landed. Some of them were explosive and others weren't, but none of them harmed her in the slightest.

Then a potential fault in her defenses occurred to him: the butterflies on her shoulders that carried her so swiftly around the battlefield. If _they _were to be destroyed, perhaps it would weaken Maghda to the point where his spear could inflict damage.

"Eirena," he said, "I'm going to feign a retreat and circle around the side of this building. See if you can draw her over here."

The girl nodded, and Kormac instantly put his plan into action. The next time Maghda fired off her arcane globes, he pretended to have been hit by one and staggered backwards, ducking behind the nearest hut. He heard Eirena, now left alone in a dangerous position, cry out in a good semblance of fear as the witch started towards her. Moving quickly, he ran around to the other side of the hut and appeared just behind the witch.

With a yell, he dropped his spear and tackled Maghda, bearing her to the ground. She was corporeal in his arms, proving his hypothesis that her deflection of attack was willful magic, and not automatic. As she struggled in surprise, he pinned her with a hand between her shoulderblades, grabbed the right-hand butterfly, and ripped it free.

Maghda's ear-splitting scream of agony startled him so much that he pulled his hand back, and in an instant she had transformed into a swarm of flies and disappeared. He was left with a large insect in his clenched fist, the gossamer wings twitching and the light fading from its bejeweled eyes. A large stinger on the end of its abdomen shone with beads of liquid that Kormac strongly suspected was poisonous. He dropped the thing on the ground and stepped on it to ensure that it was dead.

The witch reformed in the center of the area, between four L-shaped pits in the stone. Blood streamed down her arm, and she dangled rather lopsidedly from her remaining butterfly. Shaking with rage, she lifted her hands to the heavens and uttered a few words in a language that Kormac had never heard before. The very sound of the words chilled his heart; he instinctively knew that it was an evil tongue, used by the armies of Hell itself to communicate with one another.

It seemed then that all brightness faded from the stars, and an ill wind swept over the battleground. Kormac heard Eirena cry out, and put an arm out to shield her. As they watched in horror, a portal appeared in the air, out of which stepped four blue-skinned monstrosities, similar in appearance to ghouls but far larger and more wicked-looking. They carried heavy clubs and wore rudimentary armor.

"_Scheiße," _Kormac breathed. "This is not good."

A shout grabbed his attention; Baal was signaling him from across the arena. The Hunter pointed at their new adversaries, then tapped his own breast and pointed at Maghda. Kormac answered with a wave to show he understood.

"Stay behind me if you can," he cautioned Eirena, before picking up his spear and preparing to fight.

Three of them came towards him in a V formation, while the fourth split off to target Najmah, who had been hanging back on account of his injury. Kormac cursed, but he was unwilling leave Eirena defenseless, even to assist his amnesiac companion. He prayed that Najmah would be able to hold his own for as long as it took him to defeat his adversaries.

He lunged forward to meet the charge, jabbing at the foremost ghoul. It parried his spear and took a swing of its own, which Kormac was able to block. Stepping to the side, he twisted his weapon out from under his opponent's club and brought it arcing over his head to cleave through the ghoul's leather helm and into its head.

He hadn't reckoned on the skull-bone being so thick, however. The blade of his spear came to a grinding halt, and as he tried to withdraw it, the other two surged around their ally and attacked him from either side. Kormac had little choice but to take the blows: one to his right elbow, numbing his entire arm, and the other to his left side. There was an audible crack, and a sharp pain ran from his hip to his shoulder.

_Broken ribs, _he thought, with the enforced calm that comes with years of wartime experience. As the ghouls drew back almost simultaneously for a second strike, he wrenched the spear free and swept it in a full circle. The third ghoul saw it coming and managed to dodge, but the second had no chance. The point swiped across its throat, severing the jugular. It collapsed in a heap on the ground, looking vaguely puzzled as it groped at its neck, as if trying to figure out where all the blood was going.

Kormac took advantage of the opening his defensive move had created to impale the demon he had previously injured through the eye. That left only one – the most nimble of the three. The Templar assumed a guarded stance, circling to the left, waiting for his opponent to attack. It didn't take long, ghouls not being renowned for their patience.

The blow was aimed towards his disabled right arm (evidently this creature possessed a modicum of brains) and he jumped back rather than risk further injury to the limb. Too late, he realized that his evasive maneuver had carried him right to the edge one of of the spiked pits. He teetered dangerously on the lip, the heels of his boots hanging over empty space.

Eirena screamed his name, and some distant part of him felt warmed by the knowledge that she cared enough for him to do so, but his conscious mind was far more occupied with the imminent peril of his situation. He bent forward at the waist, windmilling his arms – and something struck him hard in the midriff, knocking him backwards. The last ghoul had rushed him. As he felt his feet leave the ground, he found that his only emotion was a deep, aching regret. He had not done enough good in life to absolve him of his sins. He would not be allowed to stand among the worthy. His soul would be cast out of the High Heavens …

Ironically, it was Maghda who saved his life. The witch was flitting around the arena in the form of the butterfly cloud, and she happened to pass by just as Kormac was falling. He was caught up in the swarm and thrown to the side, landing just clear of the hole. There were a few itching welts on his face and arms where the insects had stung him, but that was nothing compared to the fate he had narrowly escaped.

Little by little, they were wearing Maghda down. Her movements were a bit slower now, her arcane bolts packed less of a punch. A few of Baal's arrows had left grazes on her porcelain skin. Most advantageous of all, her backup had been completely obliterated. Najmah had won his fight, and Eirena dispensed with the final ghoul by casting a charm spell and causing it to plunge to its death in the very pit that nearly claimed Kormac's life.

Then, just when it seemed that their victory was ensured, the witch summoned another wave of ghouls and abruptly vanished altogether. She returned as soon as her minions had been eliminated, and in her hand was the sword that had fallen with Najmah from the heavens, now forged anew. Kormac had not yet seen it, but he was awestruck by its elegant simplicity. He would not have believed that a thing designed for killing could be so beautiful. It looked wrong in Maghda's hands: a profanity, a sacrilege.

Baal raised his crossbow to fire a bolt, and the witch swung the sword. She was well out of range – ten feet away, at least – but the Hunter gasped and stumbled back, a rent appearing in his vest. Crimson liquid splattered onto the stone.

Maghda let out a horrid cackle of joy and amazement. "So the legends _were_ true," she murmured, staring at the blade in her hands. "This power flowing through me … is this how the angels feel? With a weapon like this, I could lay waste to the High Heavens and topple the Silver Spire!"

She sliced the air once more, and Baal went down on one knee. Turning, she stabbed towards Kormac. He ducked, feeling the invisible aura of the blade scrape along his neck, rather than passing through his heart as the witch had intended. A warm rush of blood soaked his shoulder.

_We're finished, _he thought grimly, clapping a hand over the wound. _If we're careful we may be able to draw it out a bit longer, but the end is inevitable. We're going to die here. _The knowledge that least Saiya would survive comforted him a little, though he quickly remembered that that was in no way guaranteed. If the other members of the group had only come with them – if Caesar and Ghor were here, rather than playing ambassadors to a child – perhaps the outcome of this battle would have been different.

"MAGHDA!" A voice like thunder broke the night, rolling in waves across the battlefield. It was deeper than the deepest depths of the ocean, older than the oldest bones of the mountain, wiser than all the wisdom ever recorded by the hand of man. But when Kormac looked around in bewilderment for the source of it, he saw only Najmah, standing very tall and straight with his hand outstretched.

"Maghda," he repeated, "the sword will not serve you. Lay it down now, while you still can, and surrender yourself to our mercy. Your death shall be swift and painless."

"Don't promise her that," snarled Baal. "You didn't see what she did to Saiya. I'm going to kill her in the most brutal way possible."

"Quiet, you worm!" shrieked the witch. She thrust with the sword, and Baal cursed and clutched at his shoulder. Blood dripped from between his fingers, adding to the growing pool on the ground. He glared at her with hate-filled eyes, his hair hanging lankly over his face and his breath coming in gasps.

"Enough," said Najmah, with finality. He began to walk towards Maghda, his stride purposeful and even. Kormac could only watch, spellbound, as the witch lashed out.

The laughter froze in her throat, however, as Najmah lifted his arm, open palm outstretched towards her. The sword's energy shattered as if it had struck a shield, falling in bright pieces like broken glass. Again and again she swung at him, her movements growing more frantic, but he waved each one away until at last he was close enough for his massive hand to close upon her wrist. Deftly he plucked the sword from her faltering grasp, and an odd but somehow suitable comparison leaped to Kormac's mind, of a stern but loving father chastising his disobedient daughter.

Maghda sneered at him. "I know who you are, _Tyrael_," she said, "and I am not afraid. Judge me as you will, but know that I will serve my master more in death than I did even in life."

"No," said Najmah, "you won't."

The blade flashed in a clean, powerful cut. A red line sprouted on Maghda's skin, bisecting her face and running all the way down her chest and stomach. She fell backwards, splitting in two upon impact. There was no mess; the wounds had cauterized instantly. Kormac stared, unable to believe his eyes. He kept expecting Maghda to vanish, to scatter into butterflies and reform elsewhere, taunting them, but she did not. There was a small object, like a stained glass orb, lying on the ground by her ruined body. Najmah bent to pick it up, looking at it curiously.

"What is that?" Kormac asked, stepping closer to catch a glimpse of it. Colored lights swirled within, sparking every now and then.

"It's Maghda's soul," the giant replied. "So it shall be trapped for all time, tormented and powerless." He slipped the orb into his pocket and leaned heavily on the sword, suddenly looking very ancient indeed.

Baal lurched to his feet. Stumbling like a drunk, he made his way over to the witch's corpse and stood there for a moment, staring blankly, before he spat on it. He wiped his mouth, leaving a trail of blood across his cheek.

"Where is your master Belial now?" he rasped. "He didn't save you, did he? No, he fucking didn't. Fuck you, Maghda. This death was too good for the likes of you."

Eirena was looking at Najmah with a strange expression on her face. "She called you Tyrael," she said.

"Is that your real name?" Kormac asked eagerly.

He nodded. "Yes. I remember everything now. As soon as I saw El'druin made whole again, it all came back to me."

"Tyrael is the Archangel of Justice," Eirena murmured. Unexpectedly, she got stiffly down on one knee with her hands clasped over her heart. "My lord," she said. "I am not worthy to stand before you."

Tyrael stepped forward and placed a finger below her chin, tilting her head up. He said, "Child, pay no obeisance to me. I am as mortal as you, now. I renounced my brothers and shed my wings, and as a result I fell from the High Heavens."

"But why?" asked the enchantress. "Why give up your immortality, your power, your seat on the Angiris Council?"

"It is a long story, spanning many thousands of years," he replied with a sigh. "Suffice it to say that I saw the coming storm and did not agree with the rest of my brethren that humanity should be left to face it alone. And so I chose to fall, to ally myself with mankind in defiance of Imperius. There were others among the angelic host who felt as I did, but they were too afraid to give up their wings. They were afraid to age, to fall ill, to die. Afraid to become … human."

There were tears in Eirena's eyes now, and she gazed at the former angel unblinkingly, but with such poignant sorrow in her face that Kormac's heart ached to see it.

"Who are we," she whispered, "to deserve such a sacrifice?"

A smile lit Tyrael's face. "You are the future," he said.

* * *

><p><em>-Present day-<em>

* * *

><p>"That's an amazing story," said Saiya, once Kormac had finished telling it (though he kept certain personal details to himself), "but it doesn't explain why Baal isn't with you."<p>

The Templar looked down at his knees. "Ah. Right. I was just getting to that …"

"We don't know where he is, Saiya," Eirena said, bluntly but not without compassion. "After we verified that there were no cultists left alive, we were all so exhausted that we just laid out our bedrolls and slept through the day. When we awoke, Baal was gone. He took his pack with him, and he didn't leave a note or anything to explain. We looked everywhere. Kormac thought that perhaps he had just decided to get a head start in returning to the Khasim Outpost, so we came back as well."

"I'm so sorry, _Schwesterchen_," Kormac added, putting a brotherly hand on her arm. "If I had known he was planning to do this, I would have tried to stop him."

Saiya shook her head. "Thanks, Kormac, but no one can stop Baal once he's made up his mind. I just wish I understood _why._ Are you sure he didn't say anything that might shed some light on what he was thinking?"

"It's not what he said," Kormac mused, "so much as what he _didn't _say. I don't think he uttered so much as three words – to any of us – after the battle. He just crawled off to a corner to lick his wounds and brood a bit. You know how he gets. He didn't seem at all pleased that Maghda was dead … or at least, with the way she had died. I think he wanted to drag it out awhile, make her regret her wrongdoings. He felt that Tyrael showed too much mercy in ending it so quick."

"I do not believe in delaying an execution," the angel declared. "Once the sentence has been proclaimed, judgment be swift and righteous."

"I agree," said Saiya, "though I understand why Baal didn't like it. With people like Maghda, you feel as though they really ought to suffer. But I doubt that dissatisfaction alone would cause him to leave. There must be another reason." What hurt the most, she realized, was that he had not even come back to see her. For all he knew, she could have died of her injuries. Was he really okay with not knowing?

"Perhaps he'll return," Kormac said hopefully. "He has before."

"No," she said, "I'm going to go and find him."

"But … how, _Schwesterchen_? You don't know where he is, he could be anywhere."

"I'll manage." She picked up her pack, which her friends had recovered from Alcarnus. "I might be a few days, though. You can wait for me at the Outpost, if you like, or head back to Caldeum. Your choice."

The Templar was beginning to look thoroughly alarmed. "Now hang on, Saiya," he began. "I'm not about to let _you _go gallivanting off as well. If you must search for Baal, at least let me accompany you."

But Saiya was equally determined to go solo, and at last, with much grumbling and entreaties to be careful, Kormac was persuaded. He embraced her very tightly and gave her an awkward kiss on the cheek, which she returned. Eirena offered a hug as well, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry too much. I have faith that you'll find him."

"Thank you," Saiya said. "Goodbye, Eirena. Goodbye, Kormac. I'll see you soon. Goodbye, Tyrael. Do I call you Tyrael now? It seems so strange; I've known you as Najmah for so long."

"You may call me whatever you wish, dear child," he answered. "Najmah is as good a name as any. I am not quite Tyrael any longer. That name belonged to a different being."

"But you're not quite Najmah either," said Saiya. "You seem much wiser now, and there's a different look in your eye. I think I _will _stick with Tyrael, if you don't mind."

"Of course not." He smiled, and it was like the sun breaking through the clouds of her psyche. "Take care of yourself, Saiya."

"You too, all of you. And please don't worry about me. I'll see you soon, hopefully with Baal in tow."

On the road to Alcarnus, she looked back once or twice to see a flash of light in the distance that might have been Kormac watching her through a telescope. She half regretted turning down his offer to help her search, if only because she was lonely, but she wanted to be alone when she found her lover – just as much for Baal's sake as for her own. Certainly she had things to say to him that were for his ears only, but she was also sure that whatever had driven him away from the rest of the group was intensely private. She had an idea, a yet nothing more than a foggy intuition, but it was the best she could think of.

Once Saiya was positive that no one was watching, she sat down and opened her pack, taking a moment to verify that none of her belongings were missing. She let out a sigh of relief when her fingers brushed up against the cloth shroud that protected Leena's mirror. Removing it, she unwrapped the precious object and bent over it, removing the sun's glare from the surface with her shadow. The clear glass clouded as if with breath, but she had not exhaled.

"Come on, Baal," she whispered. "Please don't hide yourself from me. I love you, and I can help you if you let me."

Gradually, a picture unfolded in the mirror. An abandoned town. A sign post in Kehjistani. Though she could not read the beautifully curling script, she recognized the arrangement from the map she had looked at. It was a town not too far to the north, midway between Khasim and Alcarnus.

"Is that where you are, Baal?" she said. In response to her words, the mirror rippled and another image revealed itself. A skeletal house, burnt and decaying, isolated from the rest of the village. And pacing back and forth before it, looking immensely troubled, was her Hunter. As Saiya watched, he bent down to pick up a blackened brick, stared at it for some moments, and suddenly, violently, hurled it away. Then he fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands, and his shoulders shook.

Deciding that she'd seen enough, Saiya replaced the mirror and got to her feet. She was grateful now, more than ever, for the head monk's wilderness survival lessons, which had included among others things how to tell directions without a compass. Finding a nearby bush, she marked the furthest tip of its shadow with a pebble, waited ten minutes to allow time for the shadow to move, and marked it again. Then she scored a line in the sand between the two stones, which she knew would lead from west to east. By sketching in the rest of the makeshift compass, she was able to determine which way was north, and started off accordingly.

Fortunately, before she had gone more than a couple miles, she ran across the traces of a path that seemed to follow her course. Saiya was even more excited to discover subtle signs that someone had passed by that way not too long ago: a footprint here and there, a place where a pack had been set down and bandages changed. The real find was a few threads of black fabric caught on a thorny shrub. She was on the right trail.

Soon the young monk began to feel the tug of hunger in her gut, which warred against her eagerness to find her missing lover. She settled for eating as she walked, munching a few hardtack biscuits and a strip of goat jerky. The water left in her bottle was warm, and had a stale, coppery taste, but she drank it anyway.

Apparently the distance from the main road to the village was a lot further in reality than it had seemed on the map. As the day wore on, Saiya began to wonder if she had somehow missed a crucial turnoff and walked right by it. But then she would find another boot track in the sand, another few scattered drops of dried blood. She kept walking.

Then at last she saw, far in the distance, a black patch on the horizon. It didn't look like much, a shadow almost, but as she drew closer she could see roof beams framed against the sky. She had found it at last.

Without warning, the ground beneath her feet gave way, tipping her backwards. Saiya looked down between her legs and saw a cone-shaped hole forming, as if the sand was draining down through the bedrock. Then, between the swiftly falling grains, an unmistakable flash of eyes.

Only quick reflexes saved her life. She rolled to the side just as the surface of the desert exploded in a geyser of sand. A terrifying creature emerged: first the triangular head with its heavy, brutal jaws meant for rending flesh and crushing bones; then two sets of legs joined to a scaly golden torso with a spiked spine; and finally the tail, longer than Saiya was tall and capped with wicked spines. The beast started forward – waddling and ungainly now that it was above ground, like a duck on land – and Saiya flew to her feet and ran.

She had no idea if the thing was following her, but she wasn't about to stop and look. Reasoning that she would be safer on solid ground, she headed for an outcropping of rock about a hundred yards from the ruined village and scrambled up it, wincing as the rough surface cut into her palms. Turning, her eyes picked out a black spike, like a shark's dorsal fin, cutting through the sand. It stopped at the base of the rock and began to circle. Saiya had the chilling thought that if it was still, she would have mistaken it for a peculiarly shaped rock.

_Well, crap, _she thought disgustedly. _I'm in a real pickle, aren't I? Treed like a cat chased by hounds. The moment I set foot off this rock, that thing will gobble me up. _

There was only one thing she could do. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted, "Hey, Baal! Baal, are you there? It's me, Saiya! Don't come out – just yell if you can hear me. There's something in the sand out here!"

A few agonizing moments of silence passed by. Then there was a flash of movement from inside one of the houses, and Baal's voice rang out clearly.

"Stay where you are, Saiya. That's a Dune Thresher, it can't get you if you're up there."

"I know that!" she screamed. "What do I _do _about it? I don't think it wants to leave."

There was a long pause, and then he called, "You're going to have to lure it out so I can snipe it. Be careful, though. Don't take unnecessary risks. I'll signal you when I'm in position."

Another few minutes went by before a shrill whistle pierced the air. Saiya, assuming that it was the signal in question, began to edge down the rock outcrop, keeping a wary eye on the dorsal spike marauding to and fro. No sooner had she set foot on the ground than it changed course, homing in on the vibrations of her footstep. It picked up speed, furrowing the sand like the prow of a ship slicing the ocean. Saiya waited until the last second to pull back, and gasped involuntarily as the great predator's bulk effortlessly broke the surface of the desert, lunging upwards toward her. She had underestimated its power; the steel-trap jaws closed centimeters from her right foot. The young monk stared into its eyes for a brief instant – bright yellow orbs, ridiculously tiny in the large face, with pinprick pupils – and then the Dune Thresher shuddered as Baal's arrows found their mark in the vulnerable spot under its jaw, where rock-hard scales gave way to soft, cream-colored skin. A burst of blood, a spasm of limbs and flailing tail, a growl like metal scraping over stone, and the beast was dead.

Saiya stepped past the bulky corpse and jogged towards the village. Baal appeared in a doorway and stood with his arms crossed, watching her approach. There was a crimson-spotted bandage bound about his head; locks of dark hair stuck out between the white strips. Contrary to her fantasies, he did not run to meet her with open arms. In fact, he did not look particularly pleased to see her at all, and Saiya's heart dropped into her stomach, but she strode forward with her chin up and a calm mask firmly in place.

"Hey," she said.

Baal sighed. "What are you doing here, Saiya?" he asked, voice flat.

Well. Not exactly the reception she would have wished for. But here he was, standing in front of her in the flesh … wounded, yes, unsociable, for sure – but alive. Saiya reminded herself of her priorities and mustered a smile.

"Looking for you, obviously. I was kind of worried, you know, when they came back without you."

He averted his eyes. "Sorry."

"Were you ever going to come back?" she inquired bluntly.

"Yes, of course I-"

"Because I believe we've already had a conversation about _not running off _and _leaving notes_, but it doesn't seem to have sunk in."

"Saiya, I-"

"I understand that sometimes you need to be alone, Baal. We all do. But for Ytar's sake, can't you – just for once in your life – _tell _someone where you're going and when you'll be back so we aren't all left hanging, wondering if we'll ever see you again?"

Silence, awkward and fraught with tense glances. Then Baal said, "Can I speak now?"

Saiya gestured for him to go ahead.

"I didn't mean to stay away for this long," he mumbled. "I had intended to catch up with the others before they reached the Outpost. But I … I couldn't …"

It was then that she noticed how reddened his eyes were, as if he had been weeping for hours. Feeling guilty now for taking him to task, she put out a hand in a conciliatory gesture. He took it, clutching her fingers in an achingly firm grip.

"What is this place?" she asked.

"Müqeddes'das," Baal replied. "Or in your language, Holy Rock. I was born here."

Like the last gear needed to make a machine run smoothly, everything fell into place. Saiya marveled at her own stupidity in not seeing it earlier. She had thought he was trying to get away from _her_, but she couldn't have been more wrong.

"Oh, gods," she whispered, "I had no idea. Do you … want me to go away?"

"_No!" _His response was immediate; his hand tightened on hers. More gently, he added, "No, now that you're here, you might as well stay. I've delayed far too long in telling you my personal history, but I think I'm finally ready for you to know."

He led her up the slope of a nearby dune to a patch of ground where a dead tree clung to the hard soil, ringed by grey stones that stood about two feet tall. It wasn't until she saw the writing on them that Saiya realized they were grave markers. Baal spoke each engraved name as he ran his fingers over the lettering.

"Luna. My sister. Shadi and Salim. My brothers. Saif. The man I called 'father'. Kalila. My mother. Everyone I could call family is buried right here."

He stopped then, and it was several minutes before he could speak again. Saiya let him be, tenderly rubbing his back and waiting for him to get his emotions under control. She had known, intellectually, that he had lost loved ones, but cold knowledge was far removed from standing before their graves, hearing their names and seeing the raw sorrow in his face that the years had merely veiled, and never dulled. An overwhelming wave of empathy brought tears to her own eyes, but she held them in check. This moment was about _his_ pain, not her reaction to it.

"I was eight years old when it happened," Baal said abruptly. "It was a perfectly normal day, like any other day of my life. Fa- … Saif was out in the fields, and my older brother Shadi was with him. _Ana _– Mother – was … was in the kitchen, preparing lunch with Lu-lu pretending to help. Actually, she just made terrible messes, but she was only four and it made her so proud to say she had helped. Salim was following me around, trying to convince me not to play a prank on Saif. Believe it or not, I was a real mischief-maker as a kid. Anyway, I had just learned how to use a sling, and I decided to use it to cast pebbles into the freshly tilled soil. Saif was very meticulous, and I knew he would go over the rows twice to make sure he hadn't missed any stones. I thought it would be funny to see him so confused over all the pebbles that had mysteriously appeared behind him."

There was so much bitterness in his voice that Saiya couldn't keep quiet. She said, "You were just a child. I did plenty of things like that when I was growing up. It's only natural."

Baal shrugged. "Many things that are 'natural' are also wrong." He stared out across the desert, and Saiya had the suspicion that he was not seeing the sand and sky of the present, but rather the fateful day sixteen years ago when his life had irrevocably changed.

"They came out of nowhere," he said. "An army of ghouls, and at their head, the demon Baalzibal, son of the Prime Evil Tor'Baalos and the general of his military. From here, I watched them sweep over the village like a plague, killing and burning as they pleased. Salim was pulling on my arm and begging me to run away, but I was too scared to move.

"Then Saif came running up out of nowhere, with Luna in his arms and Shadi behind him. He was bleeding everywhere – there were claw marks across his face and one of his eyes was missing. He told us to come with him. I asked where _ana_ was, and he said that … she was dead. Our house had been one of the first set aflame, and a beam had fallen on her. Saif tried to get her out, but it was too late, and he had to leave her there, trapped and dying, so he could save my sister.

"After that, my memory is a little disjointed. We were running, fleeing with the other villagers who had made it out on time, and there were demons everywhere. I got separated from Salim. Suddenly I came face to face with _him _… with Baalzibal. He laughed at me and said, 'Now you will die, wretched abomination.' Then he raised his arm to strike me, but someone pushed me out of the way. I stumbled sideways and fell into the village well. Shadi fell after me; it was he who had saved my life, but at the cost of his own. Before he died, though, he said a few words to me as I held his head above the water. He told me that he was sorry for bullying me all my life, that now he knew it was wrong of him, and that … Saif had loved all of us equally. I've been puzzling over his final statement ever since, but I think I finally understand. He knew that I was not Saif's son, and he was jealous of the way his father treated me as though I was his own. But he died to save me anyway, because he was brave, and he considered it his duty.

"I stayed in that well for hours, clinging to the bucket with my brother's corpse beside me, until the demons were gone and the survivors discovered me and hauled me out. It was then that I learned that Saif and Luna had been killed, and Salim was missing, having fled into the desert. His body was found a few days later … what was left of it, at least. No one told me about that, though. They lied and said that he was still alive, and that he would come back when he was able to. I guess they figured that I'd been through enough and didn't need to know that I had no one left at all."

Saiya recalled his strong negative reaction when Aidel had avoided telling Rosylea the truth about her mother's death. It all made perfect sense now.

"I didn't stay here for long after that," the Hunter continued. "I had no other relatives that I or anyone else knew of. Several people tried to take me in, but they always ended up getting rid of me after a month or so because I had terrible nightmares and kept them awake with screaming. I became a burden to the villagers – something no one could really feel affection for, but felt obligated to feed and clothe.

"Then one night I overheard my current caretakers talking about me, and one of them mentioned that Salim was dead. Being lied to on top of everything else was more than I could stand, so I ran away. I probably would have perished in the desert, but a merchant caravan going from Alcarnus to Caldeum picked me up. I spent the next four years living on the streets of the capitol, learning to fend for myself. I did odd jobs – cleaned gutters, carried messages, polished armor for the soldiers – and picked pockets to keep from starving. I was twelve years old when a Demon Hunter passed through, preparing for an expedition deep into the desert. He hired me to take care of his horse and gear, and after hearing my story, he offered to take me back to the Order's base in the Outlands and teach me everything he knew. The rest you know."

Baal had not looked at her since he began talking, but now he glanced up and met her eyes. Saiya had never seen him so broken and vulnerable, his heart laid bare before her, and she was so filled with love and grief for him that she could hardly speak. She put her hands on either side of his face and pulled his head down to her shoulder, cradling it closely.

"Oh, darling," she murmured. "I am so, _so_ sorry."

There was nothing more she could say to ease his torment, so she simply held him and let him cry, as he had done for her when Rumford was killed. She stroked his hair, and kissed his temple, and made little reassuring sounds to let him know he was not alone any more.

At last he said, "It'll be dark soon. We should start heading back to Khasim."

"Are you coming with me, then?" she asked.

"Of course I am."

"Don't you think we should camp for the night?" Saiya suggested cautiously. "We've still got most of a day's walk ahead of us."

"I don't want to sleep here," Baal said. "Let's go a mile or two away, at least. Wait here, I'll just grab my things."

After he'd gone, Saiya knelt on the hard-packed dirt and offered a brief prayer to the gods for the souls of her lover's slain family. Afterwards, she looked up at the paling sky and said, "I wish that I'd had a chance to meet all of you. If you were anything like your son and brother, then you must have been wonderful people. I know he's had a hard life, but I love him and I'm going to keep him safe and make him happy as best I can. I promise."

Though there was no life in the tree's twisted branches, the scent of blossoms wafted through the air, a glorious reminder that life always continues, no matter the hardship and despair. Saiya recalled the scripture read by the priest at the mass funeral in Wortham: _'But blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. The Lord does not abandon anyone forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion. He will wipe all the tears from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or weeping or pain. For after every storm, the clouds part and the sun returns. After every winter, the snow melts and flowers bloom again. And for every life that is lost, a new soul will enter the world. Thus the circle continues, eternal.' _She did not believe, as the Church did, in a single creator, but the message in the holy text was true whether you worshiped one god or many.

_Life will go on.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>So, Baal's childhood comes to light at last! I've been plan<strong>**ning this moment for _ages_, so I'd love to know what you all think! Did I overdo the tragedy of it? Get it just right? **

**This was a quick update for me. Don't expect the next one to be so speedy; I already had the first couple pages of this chapter done, because I was planning to include them in the last chapter. I'll try, though. As always, my undying gratitude goes out to everyone who reviewed. I love you all! (And especially you, Leena! Thanks for the translating help again!)  
><strong>

* * *

><p>* Kormac's quote is from the E Nomine song <em>Hexenjagd. <em>It translates to: _"The Hexenhammer has accused you, therefore the witch hunt shall begin." _The Hexenhammer, also known as the Malleus Malificarum, is a 15th century treatise on the prosecution of witches written by Heinrich Kramer. It seemed like something that the Templar Order from Diablo would take a guidebook to witch-hunting.


End file.
